Russian journalist Vladlen Tatarski, known for his specialization in military issues, died Sunday after an explosion in a St. Petersburg coffee shop.
Twenty-five other people were injured, 24 of whom were hospitalized. Six of them are in serious condition, according to the Russian Health Ministry. Among the injured are journalist Tatiana Liubina and a member of the Immortal Regiment, an organization commemorating the Soviet military victory in World War II, Sergei Chaulin.
The Russian Interior Ministry has confirmed Tataski’s death following a deflagration in a cafeteria on the promenade of St. Petersburg University, the Russian news agency Interfax reports.
»The Vasileostrovsky district police have received information of an explosion that occurred in House 25 of the University promenade. As a result one person has died, war correspondent Vladlen Tatarski. Sixteen other people have been injured and are receiving medical care,» the Ministry explained in a press release from the St. Petersburg and Leningrad region branch.
Videos posted on social networks show several people in front of the facade of the cafe and significant material damage. Russian media reported that a woman brought the bomb to the place where Tatarski was, who was holding a meeting with the public.
Security forces sources quoted by the TASS news agency revealed that the explosive used had a power of about 200 grams of TNT and was also composed of shrapnel.
Tatarski whose real name is Maxim Fomin, born in the Donbas in eastern Ukraine, was taking part in a »creative event» in the cafe when he was handed a figure concealing the explosive, according to TASS sources.
Tatarski, described as a »propagandist» by Ukraine, became known primarily through his Telegram channel, where he had more than 560,000 followers, and to his videos.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
