Explosion reported at a cafe in St. Petersburg as a high-profile interview scene unfolded
A dramatic incident unfolded when reporters arrived to cover the presence of the army commander Vladlen Tatarsky at a cafe associated with the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Hospital. A TV channel identified as 78 reported on details surrounding the blast. The scene shifted quickly from questions to chaos as an explosion occurred shortly after Tatarsky had been approached for a brief exchange. Witnesses describe police and medical crews streaming onto the street as soon as the blast ended, moving swiftly to tend to injured individuals and secure the area for an emergency response.
Initial assessments by health officials indicated that twenty four individuals who were injured in the cafe explosion were transported to medical facilities for treatment. Among them, six remained in a state judged by clinicians to be serious. Medical teams continued to evaluate patient conditions as the incident response progressed and hospital beds were allocated to account for the surge in injuries related to the blast. The distribution of injuries ranged from severe to moderate, with a number of patients categorized as having mild to moderate trauma upon arrival and during subsequent examinations.
Further updates from hospital sources indicated that eighteen additional individuals sustained moderate and mild injuries. Medical staff reported a need to monitor several patients closely due to the potential for evolving symptoms and the risk of delayed complications in the hours after exposure to blast effects. Families and supporters gathered nearby as officials provided routine updates on the status of those receiving care, while investigators began gathering details about how the event unfolded and the sequence of actions that followed the explosion.
Among those affected was a young woman who had presented a figurine to the observer Tatarsky at the cafe. The item, which authorities indicate could have contained a concealed explosive device, placed the recipient at the center of the initial investigation. She was transferred to a hospital in St. Petersburg and reported to be in moderately severe condition. At this stage, authorities are working to confirm her identity, with some pursuing means of verification without relying on traditional documents. The broader investigation remains focused on determining the exact nature of the object and any links to the wider incident, as investigators interview witnesses and review surveillance footage. News agencies and official channels have been careful to distinguish between confirmed facts and ongoing inquiries, continuing to provide steady coverage while the investigation proceeds.