- Trepova jailed for blogger murder
- Tatarsky, pro-war blogger killed
- Allegations of Ukrainian involvement
Darya Trepova, an anti-war activist, received a 27-year prison term from a Russian court for the murder of a prominent ultranationalist blogger, an act Moscow claimed was orchestrated by Ukraine.
Last April, Trepova gave Vladlen Tatarsky an explosive miniature statue in a St. Petersburg café, killing him. Upon accepting the gift, the outspoken commentator was instantly executed.
On Thursday, a court in St. Petersburg found Trepova guilty of “terrorism”-related offences.
The 26-year-old defended herself by stating that she delivered an object to Tatarsky, whose real name is Maxim Fomin. Believing it was a covert listening device and not admitting to intentionally murdering him.
The activist testified in court earlier this week that she was carrying out her activities at the behest of a man in Ukraine identified as “Gestalt” (German for “Shape”), who had been providing her with financial support and directives for several months.
“The disastrous outcomes that resulted from my gullibility and naivety fill me with immense anguish and disgrace. “I avoided causing harm to others,” Trepova explained.
She stated that her opposition to the Russian military offensive in Ukraine influenced her decision to collaborate with Ukrainians.
The explosion that ripped the café’s facade in St. Petersburg injured over thirty additional individuals.
In court, Trepova said she expressly asked her Ukrainian supervisor about the statue’s explosive status.
“I was terrified and asked Gestalt, ‘Is this the same as with Daria Dugina?'” she said, referring to the 2022 car explosion in the Russian capital that claimed the life of an influential pro-war Russian nationalist and his daughter.
“Intrinsic terrorism”
Tatarsky was a highly influential military blogger, one of the most prominent members of a group of extremist correspondents. They have amassed an enormous following since February 2022, when Russia initiated its offensive in Ukraine.
The publication disseminates unique insights from primary sources regarding the campaign. It intermittently scrutinises Moscow’s military strategies and advocates for a more assertive offensive.
Tatarsky, a native of eastern Ukraine and a convicted bank robber, escaped prison in 2014 to fight alongside separatists supported by Russia against the Ukrainian armed forces. Tatarsky was born in the east of Ukraine.
He advocated for a military campaign against Ukraine that was considerably more aggressive.
Putin posthumously awarded Tatarsky the Order of Courage, commending the “courage and valour he displayed in the course of his professional duties.”
Russian authorities accused the Ukrainian government of orchestrating his assassination.
Presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak termed it “internal terrorism”. Senior Ukrainian officials have been devoid of any claims of responsibility or denial of involvement.
Moscow has accused Ukraine of orchestrating multiple assassinations and attacks within Russia, including the demise of Dugina and the unsuccessful car explosion that targeted Zakhar Prilepin, a writer who supported the Kremlin.
