Media: 24-year-old woman linked to car blast that killed Russian officer in St Petersburg VIDEO

A 24-year-old woman allegedly planted an explosive device under the car of a Russian military officer who was killed in St Petersburg before flying via Türkiye to Moldova, the Fontanka news outlet reports.

According to Fontanka, the woman was contacted by unidentified people several months ago via a messaging app. They allegedly discussed the war and politics with her before asking her to place a homemade explosive device under a specific car and then leave Russia for Ukraine.

Fontanka reported, without citing sources, that the woman was not originally from St Petersburg. It said she placed the device under the car in Shushary on the evening of August 26 before travelling to Pulkovo Airport, from where she flew to Türkiye at 5 a.m. on August 27.

Russian security officials identified the woman and contacted their Turkish counterparts to seek her detention, Fontanka reported, but she had already flown to Chisinau.

On August 27, Russian media reported that a lieutenant colonel was killed when a car exploded in the Slavyanka area of Pushkin district in St Petersburg. His wife was injured.

Russia's Investigative Committee opened a criminal case following the explosion. Media reports said the dead officer was a military pilot.

The Investigative Committee later confirmed that a serviceman had been killed in the blast and that his wife had been injured.

By Aghakazim Guliyev