The assassin accused of killing a pro-Putin propagandist has been placed in a cage in court after being charged with terrorism.
Russian bloggers Vladlen Tatarsky, 40 years old, killed on Sunday after a bomb ripped through a cafe in St Petersburg, where he was speaking.
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Former art student Daria Trepova is accused of having give Tatarsky a statue with a bomb hidden inside.
The 26-year-old anti-war activist was dragged into a Russian court today wearing a hood surrounded by security personnel.
She then bowed her head as she sat in the glass during the hearing at Moscow.
Investigators detained Trepova until June 2, Russian news agencies reported.
It comes after new footage emerged showing pro-Putin propagandist Tatarsky copulating with the woman accused of killing him seconds before the bomb went off.
In the video, Trepova, who was arrested on Mondaycan be seen backing away after delivering the suspected bomb.
Trepova appeared to be trying to get out of the room – possibly to escape the explosion – when Tatarsky asked her to sit in the front with him.
In the end, she compromises by choosing a seat near the front but on the side, a few meters away from the bomb.
She can be seen raising her hand as she sits in the cafe – presumably to shield herself – just before the screen goes black as the bomb goes off.
It is not known how Tatarsky knew Trepova, and the reason she gave was why she gave him the figurine.
Further distressing footage appears to show the exact moment the bomb – disguised as a Tatarsky figurine – exploded after the blogger put it back in its packaging.
While the third short clip shows former art student Trepova leaving the cafe shortly after the explosion, as bloodied victims emerge from the explosion.
She can be seen quietly leaving the scene in the chaos following the attack.
Russia’s Health Ministry said 40 others were injured in the blast and 25 were still in hospital as of Tuesday morning.
The Russian Investigative Committee said it had charged Trepova with “terrorist acts by an organized group causing intentional death”.
The charges carry a maximum prison term of 20 years.
Prosecutors accused her of acting at the behest of people working for Ukraine.
Trepova’s husband said he believed she was set up and did not know the statue contained explosives.
It was declared Putin personally ordered the assassination of Tatarsky and will use it to crush his opponents.
The General SVR Telegram channel – which claims to have been informed by a Kremlin insider – claims the Russian tyrant is “satisfied” with Tatarsky’s killing, and that the supposed successful hit will be used to spur a wave new wave of attacks on his opponent.
The channel stated: “The liquidation of Tatarsky is a ‘wonderful’ special operation of the FSB that, according to Putin, went exactly as planned.
“Special operation development and victim selection were agreed with the president.
“Putin congratulates the leadership of the FSB and urges the agency to continue in the same spirit.”
While Tatarsky – whose real name is Maxim Fomin – supports Putin, he is also a vocal critic of the Kremlin’s top military commanders.
And Putin was informed by his spies that Tatarsky was an “out-of-control and harmful military officer”, General SVR stated.
The Telegram channel’s statement cannot be independently verified.
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