Russian Cafe Explosion Kills Pro-Putin Military Blogger... "Gifted Statue Exploded" (Summary)

Famous Blogger with Over 500,000 Readers
"A Woman Gifted a Statue"... Suspect Being Tracked

A famous military blogger died and more than 25 people were injured in an explosion at a cafe in Saint Petersburg, Russia. As the deceased military blogger was known for his pro-Russian stance, suspicions have arisen that a pro-Ukrainian organization might be behind the explosion, and Russian authorities are investigating the perpetrator and the masterminds.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

According to Russia's TASS news agency on the 2nd (local time), an explosion occurred at a cafe in Saint Petersburg, killing the famous military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky (40) and injuring at least 25 people. Russian authorities estimate that the explosion was caused by about 300 to 500 grams of TNT explosives. The scale of the TNT explosion is said to be equivalent to the detonation of two grenades, according to Russian officials.

As the number of injured increased beyond the initial assessment by rescue authorities, the casualties are currently reported as one dead and 25 injured. Among the injured, 19 have been transported to hospitals for treatment.

Earlier, Tatarsky was holding an event named ‘Cyber Front Z’ at the cafe at 5 p.m., where he was having a fan meeting. Dozens of his blog readers and supporters of the invasion of Ukraine attended the event. Fans who participated in the event brought gifts for Tatarsky, and it is presumed that one of these gifts exploded.

Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency, citing sources from the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, reported that "a statue inside a box given as a gift to Tatarsky by a woman was a bomb." Event participants also testified that "Tatarsky recognized the person who gave him the gift, and 5 to 10 minutes later, the explosion occurred."

Although the exact mastermind behind the incident has not yet been revealed, there are speculations inside and outside Russia that an organization linked to Ukraine might be responsible. This is because Tatarsky had maintained a pro-Russian stance and statements, defending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Tatarsky’s real name is Maksim Fomin, known to be from Donetsk, Ukraine, and he is recognized as a leading pro-government military blogger in Russia. He was a famous blogger with over 500,000 readers and took a position supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.