In the vehicle where the blast occurred, the driver was present alongside the writer Zakhar Prilepin, who died in the incident. This information came from the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation for the Nizhny Novgorod Region.
According to official statements, one person lost his life—the writer Zakhar Prilepin—while the occupant of the car was wounded. The ministry also noted that there were no additional casualties.
Earlier reports indicated that the explosion happened near a village in the Borsky district of the Nizhny Novgorod region. The car involved was an Audi Q7 driven by Prilepin. He was transported to a hospital with injuries to both legs. His daughter was in the vehicle at the time but reportedly exited the car a few minutes before the explosion. The driver died at the scene.
Media outlets echoed claims that Prilepin was on a return trip from the LDNR area to the Nizhny Novgorod region, stopping for a meal in a cafe. It was suggested that an explosive device had been placed under the car during this interval.