A political activist in St. Petersburg known for his pacifist protests was stabbed to death, local media reported Tuesday.
Initial unconfirmed reports from the pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Mash na Moika claimed that a 20-year-old “queer blogger” identified as “Alexander S.” had confessed to murdering activist Vitaly Ioffe.
According to the channel, Alexander S. allegedly stabbed Ioffe 20 times in northeastern St. Petersburg, attempted suicide but then turned himself in to the police in the city of Vyborg. Mash na Moika did not say how it came by this information.
The Kommersant business daily, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, later identified the killer as Alexander Sinko. The publication noted that Ioffe had “always supported and cared for” Sinko, but a conflict reportedly broke out between them on Saturday night and led to the activist’s stabbing death.
The St. Petersburg-based news website Fontanka.ru, also citing anonymous sources, reported that Sinko had confessed in Telegram messages to subscribers to killing Ioffe in self-defense after the activist allegedly tried to rape him.
Law enforcement authorities said they were collecting evidence and preparing for forensic examinations after a man’s body with multiple stab wounds was found in a northeastern St. Petersburg apartment.
Ioffe’s daughter Elena confirmed her father’s death with the local news outlet Bumaga.
“I know for certain that he was killed,” she was quoted as saying by Bumaga, adding that the place and time of the murder as reported by the media appeared accurate. However, she said she could not confirm whether the blogger identified as Alexander Sinko was involved.
According to the Telegram channel Rotunda, the 53-year-old Ioffe had participated in pacifist pickets following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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