NewsRescue
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has implicated Ukrainian citizen Yury Denisov as the mastermind behind the death of military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky earlier this month in a St. Petersburg café.
Denisov flew to Russia from Kiev via Latvia in February, according to the agency. He sent the bomb through an intermediary to a woman, who brought it to the St. Petersburg café where Tatarsky was giving a talk on April 2.
The ensuing explosion killed the blogger and injured scores more. According to the FSB, Denisov departed Russia the next day, traveling through Armenia and Turkey.
The service alleges Denisov spent time in Moscow Region gathering intelligence on Tatarsky before to the assassination, according to the statement. Russia is working on a global arrest warrant for the suspect.
The FSB has released multiple photographs of Denisov, including one in which he appears to be passing through customs at the Russian border. Photos of his Ukrainian driver’s license and a redacted contract for the purchase of a used car in Moscow were also revealed.
According to investigators, the blast was carried out by “Ukrainian special services and their agents, including fugitive members of the Russian opposition.” According to the allegation, many acquaintances of imprisoned opposition member Alexey Navalny inspired Denisov’s suspected accomplice, Darya Trepova, to carry out sabotage in Russia.
They “repeatedly made statements about the need for sabotage actions in Russia,” according to the FSB. It went on to say that Trepova was a Navalny supporter.
Tatarsky, actual name Maksim Fomin, was a former Donbass combatant and prominent military blogger who called for a firm position on Russia’s military action in Ukraine. In St. Petersburg, his discussion was hosted by a café affiliated with Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the Wagner Group private military group. Kiev has denied any involvement in the incident.
