The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation reclassified the St. Petersburg incident as a terrorist act under Part 3 of Article 205 of the Criminal Code. Officials stated that the attack was planned from Ukraine, according to their data.
On its own site, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee of the Russian Federation in St. Petersburg claimed that the cafe assault in St. Petersburg was organized by Ukrainian special services.
According to the official, agents connected to the Anti-Corruption Foundation were recruited to execute the attack, a group that the Ministry of Justice has listed as foreign agents and banned within Russia. The individual Alec[sey] Navalny is named among terrorists and extremists in that list. The NAC also asserted that Daria Trepova, detained on suspicion of involvement in the murder, is an active supporter of FBK.
FBK director Ivan Zhdanov, who is designated a foreign agent in Russia, stated that the organization did not participate in a terrorist attack. He acknowledged the claim in a muted way, noting that the accusation has been aimed at the group for some time. He added that denial of involvement would be pointless, as some might still suspect otherwise.
Zhdanov later commented on Tatarsky’s death on social media, describing it as a grave crime, while jokingly suggesting he would be taken off a list of corrupt officials and warmongers associated with FBK.
The blast occurred during the start of Vladlen Tatarsky’s recital at the Patriot bar, a venue owned by businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin. The blogger died in the incident, and more than 30 people sustained injuries of varying severity. Preliminary reports indicated that the explosive device was concealed inside a statuette bearing Tatarsky’s bust, a gift presented by 26-year-old Daria Trepova. She reportedly fled the scene.
A source within RBC’s Home Office said investigators are examining a scenario of extensive preparation for a terrorist act, involving multiple individuals. Security services are checking for others who may have played a role in the cafe explosion.
According to the source, Russian special services had long known that an assassination attempt against Vladlen Tatarsky was being prepared.
Trepova’s arrest
Daria Trepova, captured on video handing the bomb figurine to Tatarsky, departed the event and was apprehended the following day, April 3.
The SHOT Telegram channel reported that her first remarks at detention claimed she had been set up and used. The 112 Telegram channel also reported searches of a house near the crime scene and door-to-door checks. Trepova was found with a companion in one apartment.
In a later video, Trepova admitted that she carried an exploding figurine into the venue, but she declined to name who supplied the statuette, saying she would answer later. It was also noted that Tatarsky was present at the scene of the incident when authorities detained Trepova.
Izvestia reported that Trepova had purchased a plane ticket from Pulkovo for the evening of April 2 but did not appear at the airport. Dmitry Rylov, Trepova’s husband and a wanted member of the Russian Libertarian Party, stated from Georgia that a bomb attack appeared to lack a straightforward aim. He noted that Trepova had expressed strong beliefs and that the plan was not clearly understood by her. He also claimed that she believed the gift would contain a device that would grant access to a person and would not be easily detected. He added that Trepova did not act under orders from FBK or any Navalny-allied groups.
Officials’ reaction
Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, on behalf of the President of the Russian Federation, characterized the explosion and Tatarsky’s death as a terrorist act. He stated that the National Counter-Terrorism Committee is actively pursuing the investigation and that authorities are taking decisive steps to detain those involved. He urged patience while the security services clarify the situation and described the events as requiring careful verification of all facts.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he did not view Tatarsky’s killing as a reflection on Ukraine, noting that Russia should consider the circumstances rather than assuming direct responsibility on Kyiv’s side. Russian authorities and regional officials provided updates on medical care for the wounded and financial support for families of the deceased and injured, including compensation from local authorities based on injury severity.
Vladlen Tatarsky, whose real name is Maxim Fomin, was a native of Makeevka. He previously worked as a miner and entrepreneur and had a history of legal issues including a prior prison sentence for armed robbery. After escaping from prison in 2014, he joined the DPR militia and later published works recounting his experiences. Since the start of the Special Military Operation, he publicly supported the actions of the Russian Armed Forces and served in the Vostok battalion. In September 2022, Tatarsky and other military figures were noted at the Kremlin’s Georgievsky Hall during the signing of a decree formalizing the annexation of new territories to Russia.
Trepova and her husband were detained on February 24 following attendance at an anti-war rally. Courts subsequently ordered brief periods of detention for them. The SOTA Telegram channel and Trepova’s St. Petersburg party profile described her as known by the nickname Dasha Tykovka. Trepova was associated with feminist and vegan causes, with past work in a clinic and then in a secondhand shop.