1 dead, 25 injured in Russia cafe blast

ST. PETERSBURG - At least one person was killed and 25 others injured after an explosive device went off on Sunday in a cafe in Russia's St. Petersburg, Russian authorities said.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, information about the blast was received by the police at 18:13 pm local time (1513 GMT). The incident resulted in one death and 16 injuries, and the injured are being treated by medical personnel.

The Ministry of Health said later on Telegram that the number of the injured in the explosion has risen to 25 with six in serious condition.

The Investigative Committee of Russia confirmed that an unidentified explosive device exploded in a cafe in central St. Petersburg, killing prominent Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky. The Committee has opened a murder inquiry to the case.

Tatarsky, whose real name was Maxim Fomin, covered events in the Donbass on his Telegram channel. According to TASS, he made his name early in the Russian special military operation in Ukraine by posting videos analyzing the military situation on the ground and offering advice on mobilizing troops. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs paid tribute to Tatarsky after his death.

Citing a source close to the inquiry, RIA Novosti news agency said the explosive device was installed in a statuette presented by a young woman to Tatarsky as a gift at a meetup of Tatarsky's fans.