A Russian court has sentenced a woman to 27 years in prison for a cafe blast that killed a prominent pro-war blogger in Estonia. Darya Trepova, 26, was convicted of carrying out a terrorist attack and other charges in the explosion that killed Vladlen Tatarsky and injured dozens of others. Tatarsky, a supporter of Kremlin’s military action in Ukraine, was killed when a bomb in a bust given to him exploded at a cafe in St. Petersburg.
In a separate case in Moscow, a former leader of separatist rebels in Ukraine was sentenced to four years for extremism after calling President Vladimir Putin a coward. Igor Girkin, also known as Strelkov, was convicted for his role in the Russian-backed rebellion in Ukraine in 2014. He had criticized Putin as inept and indecisive in carrying out the war.
The sentencing of both Trepova and Girkin reflects the sensitivity of Russian authorities to criticism and opposition, especially in light of the recent full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Critics of the war, including opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza, have faced harsh sentences. The court’s decision to convict and imprison Trepova for 27 years is the longest imposed on a woman in modern Russia. The case highlights the ongoing conflict in the region and the severe consequences for those involved in acts of violence or opposition to the government.
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