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Russia Detains Suspect in Bombing That Killed Pro-War Blogger


A portrait of Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, (real name Maxim Fomin), who was killed in the cafe explosion the day before, is placed among flowers near the blast site in Saint Petersburg, Russia April 3, 2023.
A portrait of Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, (real name Maxim Fomin), who was killed in the cafe explosion the day before, is placed among flowers near the blast site in Saint Petersburg, Russia April 3, 2023.

Authorities in Russia said Monday they detained a woman suspected of being involved in the bombing of a St. Petersburg cafe that killed a prominent military blogger who strongly supported Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Russia’s Investigative Committee identified the suspect as 26-year-old Darya Tryopova, a Russian citizen who had been previously detained for participating in anti-war rallies.

Russian news agencies reported that the explosion Sunday that killed Vladlen Tatarsky happened after he was given a statuette with a bomb hidden inside.

The blast also wounded more than 30 other people.

Tatarsky was the name used by Maxim Fomin, who had hundreds of thousands of followers for his blog supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russia’s top counterterrorism agency blamed Ukrainian security agencies for the attack.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted Sunday that it was only a matter of time until “domestic terrorism would become an instrument of internal political fight” in Russia.

Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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