The Investigative Committee of Russia requested the journalist Roman Popkov to come to St. Petersburg after the fatal event involving the military commander Maxim Fomin, known as Vladlen Tatarsky.
During the inquiry, authorities stated that Roman Popkov, who resides in Ukraine, played a role in the crime. He was placed on a wanted list and, in absentia, charged under Part 4 of Article 205.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for leading a terrorist act. The maximum penalty for this charge is life imprisonment.
The investigation claims Popkov communicated on social media with Daria Trepova, who has been directly accused of executing the terrorist attack, and allegedly provided her with guidance.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has included Popkov in the missing person data system, noting that he is now being sought by law enforcement.
According to the ministry, Popkov is wanted under the relevant article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
Earlier reports indicated that Trepova told investigators that Popkov instructed her to complete the task and deliver it to Tatarsky using her own image, which later exploded.
Popkov later confirmed encounters with Trepova but denied giving her any instructions. Trepova, who followed Popkov on social networks, described herself as a journalist and said she planned to travel to Ukraine.
Terrorist attack on Vasilyevsky Island
On April 2, during a creative meeting with Vladlen Tatarsky at a cafe on the Universitetskaya Embankment in St. Petersburg, a bomb concealed in a statuette donated to the military commissioner exploded. More than 30 people sustained injuries. The FSB announced that another participant in the preparation of the attack was a Ukrainian citizen, Yuriy Denisov, who allegedly delivered the explosive device to Trepova using express delivery in the guise of a military plaster bust.
Trepova is said to have carried out the attack following calls from leadership at a banned organization classified as a foreign agent, which urged subversive actions in Russia to undermine constitutional order by any means available.
In a post on the Telegram channel discussing the wanted list, Popkov described himself as having been dismissed by the Russians.
Who is Roman Popkov?
Born on August 29, 1978, Popkov joined a political movement in 1999 that was later banned in Russia and served as chairman of its metropolitan branch. Prior to this, he was part of a regional chapter of another organization that was banned in Russia. A coordinator of the successor party said Popkov had not been active with the party since 2009 and was viewed unfavorably by some members, including accusations of betrayal. He was expelled from the association due to factional activity and interactions with officials from Russia’s internal security structures.
Popkov participated in numerous high-profile actions associated with the movement, including attempts to seize control of government offices and other political spaces. In 2006, he was detained following an incident near a courthouse involving the movement’s leaders. In 2008, he received a sentence for hooliganism but spent most of that time in pre-trial detention, which led to an early release. He later served as editor for MBKh Media, an outlet linked to a controversial political figure and organization, and was associated with Open Russia at one point.
In 2014, he relocated to Kiev after the events in Ukraine known as Maidan. He has since been critical of the current Russian military operation in Ukraine.
Regarding his current status, the investigation and related authorities continue to pursue updates through official channels, with ongoing inquiries into his past activities and associations.