Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Russian blogger killed in explosion after 'woman handed him statue'

Russian blogger killed in explosion after 'woman handed him statue'

A pro-Kremlin military blogger was killed in an explosion at a cafe in Russia after a ‘woman handed him a gold statue.

Vladlen Tatarsky – who reported from the Ukraine frontline was killed as well as 15 others being injured in the blast in St Petersburg this afternoon.

Tatarsky, whose real name was Maxim Fomin, had more than 560,000 followers on Telegram.

Speaking about Russian firepower in the Kremlin last year he had previously said: ‘We will defeat everyone, we will kill everyone, we will rob everyone as necessary. Just as we like it.’

There has been no indication who was responsible for the blast.

Russia media reported that Tatarsky was meeting with members of the public and that a woman presented him with a statuette that apparently exploded.

Russia’s Interior Ministry said everyone at the cafe at the time of the blast was being ‘checked for involvement.’

It comes as Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told US secretary of state Antony Blinken it was unacceptable for Washington to politicise the case of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained and accused of spying in Russia.

Vladlen Tatarsky was said to have been killed in the blast

A number of people were injured in the blast


A video showed the moment Tatarskiy was presented with the gold-coloured figurine – which appeared to depict the war propagandist.

He held it and gazed at it approvingly, moments before the explosion which killed him.

An eyewitness said: ‘Suddenly the explosive wave erupted, smoke was everywhere, and people ran.

‘I ran out into the street.

‘When I went back to look for my phone, I saw three or four lying on the floor.’

Another said: ‘There were about 100 people.

A woman said she was an artist and wanted to show the heroes of Putin’s special military operation.

She purportedly told Tatarskiy: ‘It’s not easy. That’s why I’ve only made your bust so far. It’s in the coat wardrobe [at the entrance of the cafe].’

This is the moment Tatarsky was handed the figurine before it exploded

He gave a speech just minutes before the explosion

The blogger was killed in the blast in Russia’s second biggest city


The eyewitness said: ‘She went there, took a big box, and gave it to him.

‘It was gilded.

‘He said thank you and put it next to him.

‘She sat down in her place, and three minutes later there was an explosion.

‘Everyone was running.

‘This did not seem to have left in advance.’

BAZA media reported that the explosion was radio-activated.

This triggered the explosion in the plaster figurine.

The explosion happened despite the use of an explosives-sniffing dog at the event, it was reported.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×