Darya Trepova, who was found guilty of assassinating Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky last spring, has been handed a 27-year prison sentence. It’s the longest jail term for a woman in modern Russian history, with life imprisonment reserved exclusively for male convicts.
Vladlen Tatarsky was killed on April 2, 2023, when a bust gifted to him by Trepova exploded at an event in a St. Petersburg cafe, injuring some 52 people.
The court found the woman guilty on counts of terrorism, as well as illegal possession of explosive devices and a counterfeit driver’s license. She pleaded guilty only to the latter charge.
Aside from the lengthy prison term, Trepova was also slapped with a fine totaling 600,000 rubles ($6,720). Her defense team said they would appeal the decision.
Trepova’s accomplice, Dmitry Kasintsev, who is believed to have allowed her hide at his home after the assassination, was sentenced to almost two years behind bars.
Trepova was apprehended shortly after the bombing as she tried to change her appearance and flee Russia.
Following the arrest, she repeatedly insisted that she was unaware that the statuette had contained an explosive device and claimed that she had been duped.
At a court hearing in April, she said she “deeply regretted” what happened, adding that she herself had survived the explosion by accident.
Moscow described the assassination as an act of terrorism, pointing the finger at the Ukrainian government.
The FSB, the Russian security agency, identified a key accomplice of Trepova’s as Ukrainian national Yuri Denisov. He allegedly provided the disguised bomb and collected intelligence on Tatarsky.