War correspondent was killed at a meeting with fans in St. Petersburg

In St. Petersburg, on the afternoon of April 2, an explosion occurred in a cafe on Vasilievsky Island, during a meeting with war correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky. The journalist died on the spot. The Investigative Committee reports at least 19 victims.

"Today, an explosion of an unknown explosive device occurred in a cafe in the center of St. Petersburg. According to preliminary data, as a result of this, a war correspondent, known under the pseudonym Vladlen Tatarsky, was killed, 19 people were also injured of varying severity. Information about the number of victims is being clarified", - the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region reported.

A criminal case has been opened on the fact of the murder under part 2 of Article 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Employees of the central office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation joined the investigation.

"A group of employees of the GUUR of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia has been sent to St. Petersburg. The purpose of the trip is to provide practical assistance to employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region in identifying and detaining persons involved in the organization of the explosion in a cafe on the University Embankment," the St. Petersburg police said.

It is known that the meeting of the military commander was held under the auspices of the Cyberfront organization.

"Dear friends and colleagues. During our next event in the cafe we rented, there was ... [explosion]. We took certain security measures, but unfortunately they were not enough. We express our condolences to the families and friends of the victims. Special condolences to everyone who knew the wonderful war correspondent and our good friend Vladlen Tatarsky. Now we are cooperating with law enforcement agencies and hope that all the perpetrators will be punished. Unfortunately, we can't tell you anything else yet," the organization said in a statement.

The media suggested that the explosive device could have been planted in a statuette that Tatarsky was presented with before the event. It is reported that the woman who brought the sculpture is wanted.