Darya Trepova, the main suspect in the murder of prominent Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, has been charged with terrorism and illegal possession of explosive materials, Russia’s Investigative Committee stated on Tuesday.
Trepova, who had been “following the instructions of persons acting from the territory of Ukraine,” presented the blogger with a statuette filled with explosives at a café in central St. Petersburg on Sunday, investigators said. The figurine detonated shortly thereafter, killing Tatarsky (real name Maksim Fomin) and injuring over 30 others.
The suspect now stands accused of committing a terrorist act while operating as part of an organized group, as well as of illegal trafficking of explosive materials. Under Russian legislation, Trepova faces up to 20 years in prison for these offenses if found guilty. The Investigative Committee has asked the court to place her in pre-trial detention.