Putin’s Recognition and the Aftermath of Prilepin’s Assassination Attempt
Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the Order of Courage for author Yevgeny Prilepin, who writes under a pen name, and Alexander Shubin, who died in the incident. The award was posthumous for Shubin, a veteran involved in military operations in the LPR.
Exactly one month earlier, on May 6, in the Nizhny Novgorod region, Prilepin’s car exploded while he and his deputy Shubin were inside. The blast was so powerful that it created a funnel, flipping the vehicle and leaving them badly injured.
Prilepin endured multiple fractures and underwent surgery the same day before being placed in a medically induced coma. Reports indicate he has had at least four surgical procedures and is currently undergoing rehabilitation. In late May, the author described a sense of renewed joy regarding his health.
On June 2, Gleb Nikitin, the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, shared a photo with Prilepin and underscored that the writer would need to relearn walking after the extensive surgeries and injuries sustained in the attack.
Alexander Shubin, a close ally of Prilepin and a member of the Russian Guards battalion Oplot, did not survive the incident. Local residents remembered him as a trusted member of their community, and Prilepin used his Telegram channel on June 6 to acknowledge the warmth and generosity of those who followed him closely.
In the international response, the United Kingdom opened a criminal case under Article 205 of the Criminal Code for a terrorist act. A 29-year-old Ukrainian suspect, Alexander Permyakov, was detained by Russian authorities on the day of the tragedy. During interrogation, Permyakov admitted involvement in the car bombing and claimed to have acted under orders from Ukrainian special services. He had prior convictions.
Permyakov stated that the recruitment by Ukrainian special services occurred in 2018 and that he entered Russian territory in 2022 with the aim of killing Zakhar Prilepin. He also claimed to have used two anti-tank mines in the attack.
The Security Service of Ukraine did not confirm or deny involvement in the incident. An RBC source had previously reported that Prilepin had recently returned from a special operations area in Ukraine. Allegedly, in January he signed a contract with the National Guard and returned to the front but intended to resume duties once his health allowed, likely after a recovery period of several months.
The Order of Courage, established in 1994, is awarded to individuals who demonstrate bravery in maintaining public order, combating crime, rescuing people in emergencies, or taking decisive action in the line of duty. The award was noted in connection with the police investigation in Nizhny Novgorod, where officers reportedly located Zakhar Prilepin and detained him following the car bomb incident. The head of the region referenced the high professionalism in solving crimes and the 305th anniversary celebrations of the Russian police as context for the recognition given to local law enforcement, announced by the governor, Gleb Nikitin. The remarks appeared on the Telegram channel of the regional administration.