‘BOMBER’ CHARGED
‘Statue assassin’ paraded in glass cage as she’s charged with terrorism over café bombing of pro-Putin blogger
THE alleged assassin accused of killing a pro-Putin propagandist has been paraded in a glass cage in court after being charged with terrorism.
Russian blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, 40, was killed on Sunday after a bomb ripped through a St Petersburg café where he was giving a talk.
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Former art student Daria Trepova is alleged to have handed Tatarsky a statue with a bomb hidden inside.
The 26-year-old anti-war activist was today hauled into a Russian court with her hood up flanked by security guards.
She then bowed her head as she sat locked in a glass cage throughout the hearing in Moscow.
Investigators remanded Trepova in custody until June 2, Russian news agencies reported.
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It comes after new footage emerged showing pro-Putin propagandist Tatarsky engaging with the woman accused of his slaughter just seconds before the bomb went off.
In the video, Trepova, who was arrested on Monday, can be seen backing away after handing the suspected bomb over.
Trepova appears to be trying to edge out of the room - possibly to escape the explosion - as Tatarsky asks her to sit at the front with him.
Eventually, she compromises by taking a seat near the front but to the side, several metres away from the bomb.
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She can be seen raising her hands as she takes her seat in the café - perhaps to shield herself - moments before the screen goes dark as the bomb goes off.
It isn't known how Tatarsky knew Trepova, and what reason she had given for why she was presenting him with the statuette.
Further distressing footage appears to show the exact moment the bomb - which was disguised as a statuette of Tatarsky - detonates after the blogger placed it back in its packaging.
While a third short clip shows former art student Trepova exiting the cafe moments after the explosion, as blood-soaked victims emerge from the blast.
She can be seen quietly leaving the scene in the chaotic aftermath of the attack.
Russia's health ministry said 40 other people had been injured in the blast, and 25 were still in hospital on Tuesday morning.
Russia's Investigative Committee said it has charged Trepova with committing "a terrorist act by an organised group that caused intentional death".
The charges carry a maximum jail term of 20 years.
Prosecutors alleged she had acted under instructions from people working on behalf of Ukraine.
Trepova's husband said he believes she had been framed and had not known the statue contained explosives.
It has been claimed Putin personally ordered Tatarsky's assassination and will use it to crush his rivals.
Telegram channel General SVR - which claims to be fed information by a Kremlin insider - claimed the Russian tyrant was "pleased" with the killing of Tatarsky, and the successful hit will supposedly be used to fuel a new wave of attacks on his opponents.
The channel claimed: "The liquidation of Tatarsky is a 'brilliant' FSB special operation, according to Putin, which went exactly according to plan.
"The development of the special operation and the choice of the victim were agreed with the president.
"Putin congratulated the leadership of the FSB and recommended it to continue in the same spirit."
While Tatarsky - whose real name was Maxim Fomin - supported Putin, he was also a vocal critic of the Kremlin's leading military commanders.
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And Putin was informed by his spies that Tatarsky was an "out of control moron military officer who only harms", General SVR claimed.
The Telegram channel's claims cannot be independently verified.
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