A political activist in St. Petersburg known for his pacifist protests was stabbed to death, local media reported Tuesday.
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.
There has been no official comment from St. Petersburg law enforcement regarding the reported murder. However, 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 of the murder reported by the media seemed accurate. However, she said she could not confirm whether the blogger identified as Alexander S. 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.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
×
Remind me next month
Thank you! Your reminder is set.