Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, also known as Maxim Fomin, was killed in an explosion at a cafe in Saint Petersburg on Sunday, March 27th. The incident, which occurred at “Street Food Bar No. 1” in the city center, also left 19 others injured.
According to the interior ministry, an unidentified explosive device exploded in the cafe, causing the blast. Investigators later confirmed that the device was hidden inside a statue given to Tatarsky as a gift. The ministry said that police had been called to the scene at 6:13 pm (1513 GMT) on Sunday evening.
Tatarsky was a leading military blogger and a supporter of Russia’s campaign in Ukraine. He had more than 500,000 followers on Telegram, a popular messaging app in Russia. Tatarsky, whose real name was Maxim Fomin, was from the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, which is currently under Russian control.
The group Cyber Front Z, which calls itself “Russia’s information troops,” claimed responsibility for hiring out the cafe for the evening. On Telegram, the group said that they had taken certain security measures, but unfortunately, they were not enough to prevent the terrorist attack.
The explosion at the cafe has raised concerns about the safety of journalists and bloggers in Russia. The country has a long history of violence against journalists and political dissidents. In recent years, several high-profile journalists and opposition figures have been killed or imprisoned.
The incident has also brought attention to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has been going on since 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people and has displaced millions. The situation in eastern Ukraine remains tense, with regular skirmishes reported along the front lines.
The killing of Tatarsky has been widely condemned by journalists, politicians, and activists in Russia and around the world. Many have called for a thorough investigation into the incident and for those responsible to be brought to justice.
