Russian woman, Darya Trepova, receives 27-year prison term for cafe bomb killing

During her court proceedings, Trepova claimed ignorance about the bomb inside the bust, asserting that she acted based on instructions from two men who informed her about a supposed listening device within the object.

Darya Trepova, a 26-year-old woman, has been sentenced to 27 years in connection with the bombing of a St Petersburg cafe in April, resulting in the death of prominent military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky. Trepova allegedly presented Tatarsky with a bust containing a hidden bomb just moments before the explosion at the riverside cafe, where the military blogger was leading a discussion. The blast claimed Tatarsky's life and left 50 others injured.

During her court proceedings, Trepova claimed ignorance about the bomb inside the bust, asserting that she acted based on instructions from two men who informed her about a supposed listening device within the object.

While Russian authorities have accused Ukrainian intelligence agencies of orchestrating the bombing, Kyiv has not directly responded to these allegations.

According to Russia's Federal Security Service, a Ukrainian citizen identified as Yuriy Denysov supplied Trepova with explosives through a courier service, allegedly acting on orders from the Ukrainian security services.

Tatarsky, known by his pen name Maxim Fomin, had gained a substantial following on his Telegram messaging app channel. He had initially joined separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014, participating in the Moscow-backed insurgency, before transitioning to military blogging.