The Petersburg publication Fontanka reports some details of the testimony of 26-year-old Darya Trepova, who was detained on suspicion of committing a terrorist attack, as a result of which military commander Vladlen Tatarsky (real name Maxim Fomin) was killed and more than 30 people were injured.
Judging by the publication of Fontanka, during interrogations, Trepova said that a certain Ukrainian journalist contacted her via Telegram, who, having discussed with the girl her participation in protest actions, suggested that she move to Kiev and start working as an editor of one of the media resources. Promising to organize a move to Ukraine, this man suggested that Trepova take an “internship”.
The Telegram channel Shot announced that Roman Popkov, who previously headed the Moscow branch of the National Bolshevik Party, had contacted Trepova. But Popkov himself stated that he had nothing to do with either Trepova’s recruitment or Tatarsky’s murder, recalling that he still had a family in Russia.
“Fontanka” does not name the “recruiter”. The publication says that as part of the “internship” Trepova was invited to meet the military commander Tatarsky, their first meeting took place in the bookstore “Foliage”. After this meeting, Daria sent a photo report to the “curator”. After that, she was instructed to go to Moscow, where a “package” was handed over to her through a taxi driver. When she returned with the “package” to St. Petersburg, she received the following task – to come to a meeting with Vladlen Tatarsky in a cafe at Universitetskaya embankment 21B and hand over to him the bust that was in the package. At the same time, the girl was recommended to say something about the heroes of the Wagner PMC and not worry about the future. She was told that a ticket had already been bought in her name from Pulkovo to Uzbekistan, from where she would be transported to Ukraine. Judging by Trepova’s actions, she was not warned that a bomb had been planted in the bust, since, although she moved away from the stage, she remained in the room and was in it when the explosion occurred. At the same time, it is noted that Daria suspected “something bad.”
Daria was shell-shocked as a result of the explosion, Fontanka writes. While running away, she believed that there were many dead as a result of the explosion. She took a taxi to the residential complex “North Valley”, where her husband’s acquaintance lives. She was detained there on the morning of April 3. After the arrest, she said: “I was framed.”
On April 3, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation published the first video recording with a fragment of the interrogation of Daria Trepova. There are only a few phrases in the 23-second video. Investigator: “Do you understand why you were detained?” Trepova: “I understand.” Investigator: “For what?” Trepova: “For … I would say, staying at the scene of the murder of Vladlen Tatarsky.” Investigator: “What did you do?” Trepova: “I brought there the figurine that exploded.” Investigator: “Who gave you this figurine?” Trepova: “Can I tell you later?”
Sources in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation say that the detainee is cooperating with the investigation.
The National Anti-Terrorism Committee of the Russian Federation (NAC) said that the attack in St. Petersburg, which resulted in the death of military commander Vladlen Tatarsky (real name Maxim Fomin), was planned by the Ukrainian special services, who recruited activists from the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK). “The terrorist act committed on April 2 in St. Petersburg against the well-known journalist Vladlen Tatarsky was planned by the special services of Ukraine with the involvement of agents from among persons collaborating with the so-called Navalny Anti-Corruption Fund, of which the detained Daria Trepova is an active supporter,” it said. in the official notice of the NAC.
It is possible that in connection with the investigation of this case, the authorities of the Russian Federation will begin a new stage in the fight against the headquarters and activists of the FBK.
Ivan Zhdanov, an associate of Alexei Navalny, said: “It is idiotic to refute that we did this. Naturally, we do not do this. Do not refute – what if someone thinks that we really are?”
Earlier, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation announced that Daria Trepova, who is considered involved in the murder of military commissar Vladlen Tatarsky, was detained in a previously rented apartment in the Vyborgsky district of St. Petersburg. This contradicts today’s Fontanka publication.
The Glavny publication reported that Daria Trepova was being searched for along with her husband, Dmitry Rylov, who may be abroad. The publication noted that Rylov is a member of the Libertarian Party, he, along with Daria, was detained on February 24, 2022 at an anti-war rally in St. Petersburg. Earlier, Trepova was detained at a rally in support of Alexei Navalny.
On April 2, as a result of an explosion in the Street Food Bar No. 1 cafe, located on the Universitetskaya embankment of St. Petersburg, war correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky, who was spending a “creative evening” there, died. His lecture was devoted to the work of a military correspondent and reporting from hot spots. In addition to Tatarsky, more than 30 people were injured, ten of them in serious condition, among the victims there are minors, according to Russian media.
The explosive device was hidden in a figurine, which Daria Trepova handed to Tatarsky. It was a bust depicting Tatarsky in a helmet, made of plaster and painted with gold paint. The mass of the explosive device was about 200 grams; to enhance the effect, the figurine was stuffed with striking elements.
The owner of the cafe where Tatarsky was killed is businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the private military company Wagner. Prigozhin himself said that some time ago he handed over this cafe to Cyber Front Z.
One of the witnesses said that the girl approached Tatarsky and said that she brought him a figurine as a gift – his bust, but the guards left a “gift” at the entrance with the words “what if there is a bomb”, everyone laughed, the girl went for the figurine and presented it “lecturer”. Tatarsky invited the girl to sit next to him, but she said that she was shy and moved away from the stage and sat down at a table in the distance. Judging by the published videos, Tatarsky liked the “golden bust”, he put it next to him during the performance. Later there was an explosion.
According to acquaintances and media reports, Daria Trepova graduated from an art school in the city of Pushkin, studied at the medical or economic faculty of St. Petersburg University, worked part-time in a fashion store. She opposed the war in Ukraine. For some time she lived in Georgia. Her marriage to Rylov is called “comic” by acquaintances, but on February 24, 2022, they were together in a paddy wagon.