Russian authorities have detained a 26-year-old woman in connection with the killing of pro-Kremlin blogger Vladlen Tatarsky.
The blogger was killed in a blast at a St Petersburg cafe last week, where he had reportedly been given a statuette shortly before the explosion.
Dozens of other people were injured in the attack, which Russian authorities are investigating as a “high-profile murder”.
We're now on WhatsApp. Click here to join.
Darya Trepova, who had been on the interior ministry’s wanted list, was arrested and is being held by Russian investigators.
The Russian media has reported that she was previously arrested at anti-war protests, though her connection to Tatarsky’s murder remains unclear.
Tatarsky was a well-known blogger with over half a million followers who supported Russia’s war in Ukraine.
READ ALSO: Ukraine hits Russian-held city deep behind front as talk of counteroffensive grows in Kyiv
He was part of a pro-Kremlin military blogger community that has played a relatively high-profile role in providing information about the war in a country where official sources have been criticized for their lack of accuracy.
The killing of Tatarsky has raised concerns about political infighting in Russia and has been compared to the death of Darya Dugina, a vocal supporter of the war who died in a car bomb attack last year.
Some Russian officials have hinted that Ukraine may be behind the attack, while a Ukrainian presidential adviser has suggested that it may be linked to political infighting in Russia.
The murder of Tatarsky comes at a time of rising tensions in the region, with both Russia and Ukraine accusing each other of aggression.
The conflict in Ukraine has led to a partial mobilization of Russian forces, with convicts being released from prison and handed weapons to fight on the frontlines.
The number of murders in Russia has also reportedly risen for the first time in 20 years, according to the Kommersant newspaper.
READ ALSO: Ukraine says its forces fight on in Bakhmut despite Russian claim to have taken it
The arrest of Trepova may provide some insight into the circumstances surrounding Tatarsky’s murder.
However, the investigation is ongoing and it remains to be seen whether any more arrests will be made or whether the full details of the attack will be revealed.
