Crimean Woman Accused of Assassinating Russian Commander

Arrest and Detention in Sochi and Sevastopol

Within hours of the blast, investigators detained Reutt in Sochi, a resort city roughly 300 miles across the Black Sea from Sevastopol. During a search, investigators stated they recovered a remote control believed to have triggered the explosive device. According to the FSB, Reutt confessed to carrying out the attack after being promised a large cryptocurrency payment and exit documents by a handler linked to Ukrainian intelligence. Security agencies reported she showed no remorse. These assertions remain unverified by independent sources, and Russian security agencies have previously published contested confessions from detainees prior to trial.

Background and Early Life in Yaroslavl and Novosibirsk

Born Margarita Yakovleva in Yaroslavl, north-east of Moscow, Reutt took the surname of the grandmother who primarily raised her after her parents divorced. Friends described her as warm and sociable, yet unusually drawn to risk and adventure. One childhood friend recalled, “Margarita was fearless. She would climb trees, jump off cars, do things most boys were scared of.” She later studied management in Novosibirsk, joining a local parachuting club and participating in amateur go-karting. She also played water polo as the team goalkeeper. During this period, she volunteered with a patriotic group that recovered the remains of Soviet soldiers killed during the Second World War, according to her acquaintances.

Relocation to Sochi and Growing Disenchantment

After graduation, Reutt moved south to Sochi, where she briefly operated a travel agency before joining Vitauct, an alternative medicine company focused on longevity, in the early 2020s. Company founder Gennadiy Garbuzov noted she appeared to be an ordinary person, stating, “There was nothing to indicate she would do this. She must have fallen under someone’s influence.” Despite frequent international travel to destinations such as Turkey, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Cuba, friends observed a gradual hardening of her political views following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In July 2025, she was fined under Russia’s law against discrediting the armed forces after shouting, “Serves you right, Russians!” on a train following a Ukrainian drone strike, and she posted a message in February stating she was “ashamed to be Russian” after a genetic test.

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Behavioral Shifts Preceding the Sevastopol Bombing

By late spring, friends noted significant changes in Reutt’s behavior. She grew more withdrawn, declined an autumn group trip without explanation, and acquired a second phone, telling a friend it was required for work. By the summer, she spent extended periods in Crimea, telling an acquaintance she was scouting locations for video shoots. Ukrainian officials have not commented on the bombing or Reutt’s alleged involvement, though Kyiv’s intelligence agencies have previously been linked to targeted killings of senior Russian military officers since the start of the conflict.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was killed in the Sevastopol explosion?

Robert Shageev, deputy commander of a Russian Black Sea fleet submarine brigade and former commander of Ukraine’s only submarine who switched allegiance to Russia in 2014, was killed in the blast.

Who has been detained in connection with the bombing?

Margarita Reutt, a 32-year-old resident of Sochi, was detained by Russian police and accused by the FSB of carrying out the attack.

Has Ukraine claimed responsibility for the attack?

Kyiv has not commented on the bombing or on Reutt’s alleged role in the operation, according to available reports.