Russian security forces detain Daria Trepova for murder of Russian propagandist Vladlen Tatarsky
Daria Trepova (Photo:Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs/Handout via REUTERS)
Russian security services have detained 25-year Russian citizen Daria Trepova, accusing her of involvement in the murder of Russian propagandist Vladlen Tatarsky, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation reported on April 3.
Tatarsky – a pseudonym for the propagandist’s real name, Maxim Fomin – was previously a Ukrainian citizen from Donbas who had been sentenced in 2011 to twelve years imprisonment for his role in committing an armed bank robbery. He escaped following a battle between the Ukrainian and Russian armed forces near his prison in 2014, joining the Luhansk puppet militia. He rose to infamy after the start of the full-scale war, as he became a Russian “military blogger” – an assortment of pro-Russian commentators, typically with large followings on the Telegram messenger network, who claim to have military experience and provide propaganda-in-fused analysis of Russian military activities.
Tatarsky was killed when an explosion occurred at a cafe he was visiting in St. Petersburg – Street Bar, which is believed to be owned by Wagner mercenary company owner Yevgeny Prigozhin. Local news outlet Fontanka published a photo from the event, where Trepova can supposedly be seen entering the cafe. Russian media also published alleged CCTV footage which they claims demonstrates that Trepova brought a box into the cafe. Allegedly, an eyewitness at the scene claims to have seen Trepova present a statue bust to Tatarsky as a gift, before being asked to sit with the propagandist. Trepova is said to have to have left the premises shortly thereafter.
The Russian Investigative Committee claims that Tatarsky’s murder was allegedly planned by Ukrainian special services. For this purpose, they allegedly involved "agents from among the people who cooperate with the Anti-Corruption Foundation of Alexei Navalny, whose active supporter Trepova is.” However, other experts speculate that this murder could have been the result of an internal showdown between the Russian Defense Ministry and Prigozhin, with whom Tatarsky was associated.
Russian media sources claim that Russian security security have also detained Trepova's mother and sister for questioning. According to the mother, she saw her daughter that afternoon shortly before the explosion, but did not notice anything strange in her behavior.
According to independent Russian media outlet Baza, Trepova is known among feminists and political activists in St. Petersburg as "Dasha Tykovka”, after her Twitter handle. Trepova, an employee of a vintage clothing store in Moscow, had returned to St. Petersburg the day before the explosion took place. Other media sources claim that Trepova had tickets to leave Russia on the evening of April 2.
Two of Trepova's friends claim that she did not support the war, but did not hold “radical" views.
According to Russian criminal databases, Trepova was detained in St. Petersburg at a protest on Feb. 24, 2022. She was also detained at rallies in support of Navalny in early 2021.
In Ukraine, Tatarsky’s death has been met with satisfaction by many Ukrainian netizens – in addition to his direct participation in hostilities on the Russian side, Tatarsky repeatedly called for looting in the occupied territories and openly preached genocide against Ukrainians.
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