Vladimir Putin blamed for ordering killing of blogger, but this is who actually claims responsibility

Russian war blogger, Vladlen Tatarsky, was killed in a blast in a St Petersburg cafe on Sunday 2 April. Now, there’s speculation as to who was behind it.

The attack was allegedly 'agreed' with Vladimir Putin

Yesterday, Tuesday 4 April, Telegram channel General SVR claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally ordered Tatarsky’s murder after branding him an 'out of control moron military officer'.

General SVR believes that Putin ordered the Russian security service (FSB) to carry out the attack, which was 'agreed with the President'.

Like many other Russian war bloggers, Tatarsky vocally supported Putin's invasion of Ukraine, but became increasingly critical of Kremlin leadership as Russian soldiers experienced numerous setbacks and failures in the conflict.

The channel suggests that while Putin had ignored such criticism, he is no longer willing to turn a blind eye.

General SVR, whose source is apparently a Kremlin insider, claimed Putin described the killing of Tatarsky as 'brilliant'. The channel said:

The development of the special operation and the choice of the victim were agreed with the president.

Putin congratulated the leadership of the FSB and recommended it to continue in the same spirit.

Read more ⋙ Vladimir Putin accused of being behind the mysterious deaths of 39 Russian elites

Is Vladimir Putin really responsible?

However, The Telegraph’s Foreign Affairs Editor Con Coughlin told GB News that Tatarsky's murder does no favours for Putin, claiming the attack reveals how 'the Russian people are finally starting to turn on those responsible for this dreadful war'. He continued:

It just shows that not all is well in the state of Russia and that the suggestions that have been made recently may be accurate.

These include that Putin’s in a lot of trouble and the economy collapse is unpopular, that the casualties are unsustainable. Some of these issues are coming home to roost.

Indeed, a Russian partisan group, the National Republican Army (NRA), has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group also claimed to be behind the car bombing that killed Darya Dugina in August 2022.

In a statement, the group declared they 'organised and carried out' the attack on the 'war criminal'. They emphasised that they acted 'autonomously' and did not receive aid from foreign intelligence services.

Spokesperson for the group, Ilya Ponomarev, a former Russian MP and anti-Putin activist, claimed he had prior knowledge of the attack and said it was believed that Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner group, would also be there.

He told Express the NRA wanted to send this stark message to Kremlin 'elites':

'Beware, you are not safe anymore, Putin is not able to protect you, we are everywhere'.

Ponomarev added:

The partisans are resisting the current political system in Russia and want it to be removed.

They cannot join the fighting in the military, but they are holding the front inside Russia.

However, Express was unable to verify his claims. The NRA concluded their statement by urging their fellow Russians to resist Putin and his regime:

We urge the citizens of Russia to follow our example and to show all kinds of resistance to the criminal Russian regime up to its complete destruction.

Read more:

⋙ Vladimir Putin may not have been behind killing of Darya Dugina after all: Here's everything we know

⋙ Vladimir Putin slammed as 'scum' by fellow Russian elites in leaked recording

Sources used:

Express: 'Putin accused of ordering bombing hit on propagandist blown up in Russia'

GB News: 'Putin dealt major blow as death of prominent figure 'turns Russians AGAINST leader''

Express: 'Dissidents who claim to have bombed Putin's propagandist warn Kremlin 'you aren't safe''