On April 2, military commander Vladlen Tatarsky was killed in an explosion in a cafe on Universitetskaya Embankment in St. Petersburg. The perpetrator of the attack, 26-year-old Petersburger Daria Trepova, was quickly caught. During interrogation, the girl stated that a certain Ukrainian journalist framed her. Today, the FSB revealed the identity of the probable organizer of the murder. It turned out to be a citizen of Ukraine, 35-year-old Yuriy Denisov. Daily Storm has collected all the details that are known about him at the moment.
Who is Yuri Denisov?
According to the FSB, Denisov is a citizen of Ukraine. In Russia, he acted as part of a sabotage and terrorist group, the security forces believe.
Denisov is 35 years old. According to information from social networks, he was born near Mariupol, in the city of Snezhnoye, and lived there for a long time. According to the Telegram channel “Caution, news”, he lived in the Donetsk region until 2022.
Until 2016, Denisov actively maintained a page in Odnoklassniki and posted photos there. Judging by the pictures, he led a normal life: he went barbecue and fishing with friends, often spent time with his family and regularly went to the gym.
In one picture, he poses in front of a mirror, to which is attached a photo of what appears to be a young Denisov in a green beret with a cockade and a Ukrainian flag patch. These are usually worn by border guards. And in earlier publications of a Ukrainian, you can find a picture against the background of the barracks in a military-colored shirt and the caption: “Armeika”.
Also in some photos, Denisov appears in a camouflage uniform with chevrons, with a weapon and a walkie-talkie in his breast pockets. Denisov’s acquaintances told SHOT journalists that some time ago he worked as a security guard in Mariupol.
In 2014, judging by the old photo albums, he actively participated in the Euromaidan. At the same time, he liked the public posts of Donetsk and Luhansk militias.
Since the beginning of the conflict in Donbass, Denisov has often visited Russia. According to the VChK-OGPU Telegram channel, in 2017 he repeatedly crossed the Russian border in a Mercedes from the DPR. His car was fixed both for entry and exit from the country.
In addition, Yuriy Denisov was responsible for enforcement proceedings on traffic police fines in Surgut. His aunt probably still lives there, writes Mash on the Moika.
Other relatives of Denisov live in the Vladimir region. In a conversation with SHOT reporters, his own uncle said that his nephew was always “slippery”, and explained this with the phrase: “Well, a crest!”
The same relatives said that in March, right before the attack, Denisov came to Vladimir to visit the grave of his father, who died in the fall. Before leaving, Denisov shared with them that he now lives in Kyiv, and his family – his wife and child – are in Lithuania.
How did Denisov plan the attack?
As follows from the FSB statement, Denisov arrived in Russia in February 2023. He arrived from Kyiv through the territory of Latvia and stayed in Moscow for some time.
“I collected information about the lifestyle and places of visit of Maxim Fomin (real name of Vladlen Tatarsky. – Note by Daily Storm). To this end, he bought a car and rented an apartment near his place of residence,” the FSB said in a statement.
The journalists talked with Alexander Khazhin, the former owner of the car that Denisov bought. The seller told the SHOT Telegram channel that the Ukrainian did not arouse any suspicions in him. He allegedly needed personal transport in order not to take a taxi and not to walk. After the transaction was completed, Denisov took the car and left, and Alexander never saw him again.
Khazhin explained to the RTVI TV channel that Denisov bought the car in his real name: “I bought the car in Moscow on March 2, everything is as it should be: the contract was drawn up.” According to the seller, before that Khazhin was not familiar with the alleged criminal: he posted an advertisement for the sale on the site, where Denisov found him.
A couple of days before the attack, Denisov gave 26-year-old Daria Trepova an explosive device hidden under a plaster bust of a military commissar. According to the FSB, he did it through an intermediary using a delivery service.
On April 2, the girl brought the bust to a creative evening with Vladlen Tatarsky and gave him this gift. The figurine exploded right in front of the military correspondent, dozens of people were injured. Trepova herself escaped, she was caught the next day. During interrogation, she stated that she was set up, but she knew nothing about explosives.
According to the FSB statement, on April 3, Yury Denisov, suspected of organizing the terrorist attack, flew from Russia in transit through Armenia to Turkey. Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs intend to put him on the international wanted list.