Trump plane takes off in Florida, heads to New York for court surrender

Former President Donald Trump arrives for a rally in Waco, Texas, on March 25. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

A plane carrying former U.S. President Donald Trump took off from a Florida airport bound for New York City on Monday as he prepared to face charges stemming from an investigation into hush money paid to a porn star before the 2016 election.

With New York taking security precautions and the mayor insisting any would-be rabble-rousers behave, Trump was due to surrender at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office on Tuesday and will likely be fingerprinted prior to appearing before a judge for an arraignment where he will plead not guilty.

Trump, a Republican seeking to regain the presidency in 2024, is the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges. Trump has hired Todd Blanche, a prominent white-collar criminal defense lawyer and a former federal prosecutor, to lead his defense, said two sources familiar with the matter.

The specific charges in the grand jury indictment have yet to be disclosed. Trump has said he is innocent, and he and his allies have portrayed the charges as politically motivated.

A motorcade of several vehicles transported Trump from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach to the airport in nearby West Palm Beach. Trump and members of his entourage climbed a set of stairs and entered his plane, painted in red, white and blue with TRUMP in big letters on the side and an image of the American flag on the tail.

Earlier Trump said on social media he would go to Trump Tower in Manhattan after arriving in New York, then would head to the courthouse on Tuesday morning.

Before his plane departed, small groups of Trump fans waited to show their support at the airport and on his route to get there.

"Our country needs him," said Cindy Falco, 65, of Boynton Beach, Florida. "He's pro-God, pro-family and pro-country."

Falco predicted exoneration, saying: "Nothing is going to stick to him."

TRUMP RAISES FUNDS ON HIS INDICTMENT

Trump's campaign issued a fundraising email taking aim at the media's reporting on his indictment.

Remarks attributed to Trump in the email stated: "Our country has fallen. But I'm not giving up on America. We can and we will save our nation in 2024."

His campaign said Trump raised more than $4 million in the 24 hours following the news of his indictment.

A court official said the arraignment was planned for 2:15 p.m. (1815 GMT) on Tuesday. Trump then will return to Florida and deliver remark from Mar-a-Lago at 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday (0015 GMT on Wednesday), his office said.

Trump is expected to appear before Justice Juan Merchan, the judge who presided over a criminal trial last year in which Trump's real estate company was convicted of tax fraud. Trump himself was not charged in that case.

A court official said the judge would decide on Monday whether to allow cameras and video in the courtroom.

Trump wrote on social media on Friday that Merchan "HATES ME" and also has assailed the prosecutor on the case, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat.

New York police over the weekend began erecting barricades along the edge of the sidewalks around Trump Tower and the Manhattan Criminal Court building downtown. Media crews set up close to Trump Tower and some spectators lined up nearby.

One passerby walked by shouting, "Lock him up," as others behind him clapped. A Trump supporter shouted back, "Lock Bragg up."

Adams, NYPD commissioner hold security briefing ahead of Trump arraignment

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell held a briefing Monday regarding security preps for former President Donald Trump's arraignment. 

"As you all know and all aware, Donald Trump will be in New York City tonight through tomorrow. His presence is expected to draw a lot of attention from media, spectators and protesters alike," Deputy Mayor Philip Banks said at the press conference happening at City Hall.

"New York City, as always, will be prepared. The NYPD and our entire public safety apparatus always prepared. We are working closely with all of our partners to ensure everyone's safety tomorrow. And we are asking for the public's help as well in maintaining a safe environment that allows New Yorkers to continue their day to day lives with minimal interruption and is always neither dangerous nor criminal behavior will be tolerated."

The former president said in a TRUTH Social post Sunday night he would head to Trump Tower in Manhattan on Monday. Trump is expected to be arraigned at Manhattan Criminal Court Tuesday.

The details of Trump's indictment are still under seal but are expected to relate to alleged 2016 "hush money" payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, which the Manhattan District Attorney's Office has been investigating for five years.

Trump's lawyer, Joe Tacopina, told CNN on Sunday that he expects to file a motion to dismiss whatever charges the grand jury has indicted Trump for in this case.

Trump attorney says there's no purpose in a mugshot: "He's the most recognized face in the world"

Alina Habba, an attorney representing former President Donald Trump in several civil matters, argued Trump shouldn't need to take a mugshot, telling CNN This Morning, "There's no need for theatrics."

Habba told host Don Lemon, “Mugshots are for people so that you recognize who they are. He’s the most recognized face in the world, let alone the country, right now, so there’s no need for that."

Sources familiar with the preparations were uncertain as to whether there would be a mugshot.

Trump's attorney says she believes that the indictment will be unsealed "no matter what," and accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of leaking the number of counts in the indictment.

When pressed by host Don Lemon about the claim, Habba declared, “it’s not speculation.”

On Trump's social media posts attacking the judge in the case, Habba said, “We have many judges, frankly, and I’m before some of them, who have shown a venomous vitriol against President Trump that is like nothing we’ve ever seen in the state of New York.”

She also called Bragg a “woke DA who’s now bringing a misdemeanor stacking it and trying to make it a felony” and dismissed the looming indictment as “30-34 counts of garbage.”

When asked about her role in searching Mar-a-Lago for documents, Habba said she wasn't looking for classified documents, adding, “I was looking for tax documents in another garbage case by (New York Attorney General) Leticia James.”

When pressed by Lemon about the accuracy of these claims, Habba responded, “I’m not in a deposition right now and I’m not going to continue this conversation.” She said her affidavit “is very public and I recommend you read it.”

“Yes, that’s not a secret. I testified to the grand jury,” she acknowledged.

While views on the indictment are split along party lines, the poll finds that majorities across major demographic divides all approve of the decision to indict the former president. That includes gender (62% of women, 58% of men), racial and ethnic groups (82% of Black adults, 71% of Hispanic adults, 51% of White adults), generational lines (69% under age 35; 62% age 35-49; 53% age 50-64; 54% 65 or older) and educational levels (68% with college degrees, 56% with some college or less). 

A scant 10% overall see Trump as blameless regarding payments made to Daniels, but Americans are divided about whether his actions were illegal or merely unethical. About 4 in 10 say he acted illegally (37%), 33% unethically but not illegally, and another 20% say they aren't sure. Only 8% of political independents say Trump did nothing wrong, and among the rest, they are mostly on board with the indictment even if they aren't already convinced Trump did something illegal.

The survey suggests that the indictment has not had a major effect on views of Trump personally. The poll finds his favorability rating at 34% favorable to 58% unfavorable, similar to his standing in a January CNN poll, in which 32% held a favorable view of the former president and 63% an unfavorable one. Among Republicans, 72% hold a favorable view in the new poll, similar to the 68% who felt that way in January.

Note: The CNN poll was conducted by SSRS on March 31 and April 1 among a random national sample of 1,048 adults surveyed by text message after being recruited using probability-based methods. Results for the full sample have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.0 percentage points. It is larger for subgroups.

OPEC+ production cuts likely to lift oil prices above $100 a barrel

FILE PHOTO: An employee pumps fuel into a car at a Shell petrol station in Nairobi, Kenya, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Baz RatnerREUTERS

The OPEC+ group’s surprise additional production cuts could push oil prices back toward $100 a barrel, tighten the market and encourage refiners to diversify supplies, analysts and traders said.

The decision signals unity within OPEC+ despite Washington's pressure on its Gulf allies to weaken their ties with Moscow, while also undermining the West's efforts to limit Russia's oil income.

Oil prices jumped over 6% on Monday after the Organization of the Petroleum Ex porting Countries and their allies including Russia announced on Sunday further production target cuts of about 1.16 million barrels per day (bpd) from May through the rest of the year.

Oil prices jumped more than $4 a barrel on Monday after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies including Russia announced further production cuts of about 1.16 million barrels per day from May through the rest of the year.

The pledges will bring the total volume of cuts by the group known as OPEC+ since November to 3.66 million bpd according to Reuters calculations, equal to 3.7 percent of the global demand.

OPEC+ had been expected to hold output steady this year, having already cut by 2 million bpd in November 2022.

Rystad Energy said it believed the cuts will add to tightness in the oil market and lift prices above $100 a barrel for the rest of year, possibly taking Brent as high as $110 this summer.

UBS also expects Brent to reach $100 by June, while Goldman Sachs raised its December forecast by $5 to $95.

Goldman said strategic petroleum reserve releases in the US and in France, due to ongoing strikes, as well as Washington’s refusal to refill its SPR in the 2023 fiscal year, may have prompted the OPEC+ action.

An official at a South Korean refiner said the cut was “bad news” for oil buyers and OPEC was seeking to “protect their profit” against concerns of a global economic slowdown.

The supply cut would drive up prices just as weakening economies depress fuel demand and prices, squeezing refiners’ profits, the South Korean refining official and a Chinese trader said.

Both declined to be identified as they were not authorized to speak to media.

Saudi Arabia said its voluntary output cut was a precautionary measure aimed at supporting market stability.

Purchases by China, the world’s top crude importer, are expected to hit a record in 2023 as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, while consumption from No.3 importer India remains robust, traders said.

OPEC+ had been expected to hold output steady this year, having already cut by 2 million bpd in November 2022.

Saudi Arabia said its voluntary output cut was a precautionary measure aimed at supporting market stability.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said interference with market dynamics was one of the reasons behind the cuts.

The International Energy Agency said the cuts risk exacerbating a strained market and pushing up oil prices amid inflationary pressures.

"The new cuts are underpinning that the OPEC+ group is intact and that Russia is still an integral and important part of the group," SEB analyst Bjarne Schieldrop said.

Rystad Energy said it believed the cuts will add to tightness in the oil market and lift prices above $100 a barrel for the rest of year, possibly taking Brent as high as $110 this summer.

UBS also expects Brent to reach $100 by June, while Goldman Sachs raised its December forecast by $5 to $95.

Goldman said strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) releases in the United States and in France, due to ongoing strikes, as well as Washington's refusal to refill its SPR in the 2023 fiscal year, may have prompted the OPEC+ action.

Higher prices will likely spell more income for Moscow to fund its expensive war in Ukraine, upsetting Saudi-U.S. relations further, Schieldrop said.

"The U.S. administration may also argue that higher oil prices will counter its efforts to put out the inflation fire," he added.

While the higher oil prices will spell bad news for the European Central Bank as it tries to bring down inflation, it is unlikely to fundamentally alter the policy outlook for now.

While the higher oil prices will spell bad news for the European Central Bank as it tries to bring down inflation, it is unlikely to fundamentally alter the policy outlook for now.

An official at a South Korean refiner said the cut was "bad news" for oil buyers and OPEC was seeking to "protect their profit" against concerns of a global economic slowdown.

The supply cut would drive up prices just as weakening economies depress fuel demand and prices, squeezing refiners' profits, the South Korean refining official and a Chinese trader said.

Both declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak to media.

Tighter OPEC+ supply will also be negative for Japan as it may further boost inflation and weaken its economy, said Takayuki Honma, chief economist at Sumitomo Corporation Global Research.

"Producing countries apparently want to see oil prices rise to $90-$100/bbl, but higher oil prices also mean higher risk of economic downturn and sluggish demand," he added.

Purchases by China, the world's top crude importer, are however expected to hit a record in 2023 as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, while consumption from No.3 importer India remains robust, traders said.

With higher prices and less supply of Middle East sour crude, China and India may be pushed to buy more Russian oil, boosting revenue for Moscow, said the Indian refining official, who declined to be named as he was not authorised to speak to media.

The rise in Brent prices could push Urals and other Russian oil products to levels above the caps set by the Group of Seven Nations (G7) aimed at curbing Moscow's oil revenue, he said.

ALTERNATIVES

Refiners in Japan and South Korea said they are not considering taking Russian barrels due to geopolitical concerns and may look for alternative supply from Africa and Latin America.

"Japan could seek more supply from the United States, but bringing the U.S. oil through the Panama Canal is expensive," Sumitomo's Honma said.

Traders are also watching for a response from the U.S., which called OPEC+'s move inadvisable.

"In essence, the purpose of this massive surprise production cut is mainly to regain market pricing power," the Chinese trader said.

Trump indictment pulls DeSantis-leaning Republicans back to MAGA fold

Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speak at midterm election rallies, in Dayton, Ohio, U.S. November 7, 2022 and Tampa, Florida, U.S., November 8, 2022 in a combination of file photos. REUTERS/Gaelen Morse, Marco Bello/File Photo

Larry White, a self-described Republican conservative, was thinking of voting for Ron DeSantis in his party's presidential nominating contest, believing the Florida governor had a better chance of winning back the White House from the Democrats than former President Donald Trump.

Then came news on March 30 that Trump had been indicted in New York on charges related to a hush money payment to a porn star, making him the first former U.S. president to face criminal prosecution.

"Now I am absolutely voting for Trump," said White, 75, a composer and musician in Nevada. "The indictment was the last straw for me, because Trump has suffered so much political abuse. I think he's the strongest candidate to contest what the left is doing. I'm all in."

White's anger and return to supporting Trump over DeSantis reflected the sentiment of many Republican activists and voters Reuters spoke to in Nevada. The western state votes early in the presidential nominating process, giving it an outsized role in deciding which candidate gains momentum in the 2024 election.

Until the indictment, a majority of the 35 Republicans Reuters interviewed had been willing to turn their backs on Trump and go with a different candidate for the 2024 election, believing he was too flawed and bombastic to win the general election for Republicans next year.

The criminal charges in New York changed all that, upending the Republican primary contest and potentially giving Trump and his "Make America Great Again" movement a major boost in his quest to re-enter the White House. A trial is more than a year away, legal experts say, meaning that Trump may face a jury trial as he campaigns.

All 35 Republican activists and voters Reuters spoke to say they will be voting in the nominating contest to choose their 2024 White House candidate.

Every one of them decried the indictment as a meritless, politically motivated persecution of Trump. The charges against Trump are not yet clear, though legal analysts say he may be prosecuted for falsifying business records on charges of hiding the true nature of the payments.

Of the 35, 20 said they had been thinking of moving on from Trump and backing DeSantis. Of those, 14 said the indictment was changing their thinking and leading them back to supporting Trump again.

"I was really for Ron DeSantis," said Pepe Kahn, at a Republican club meeting in Henderson on Saturday. "I'm now more likely to support Trump than before. I think people who were more neutral than before will now go in to bat for him. This is the most frightening thing I've ever seen in the U.S."

STORMY DANIELS PAYMENT

Trump is expected to be arraigned, fingerprinted and photographed in a New York courthouse on Tuesday as he becomes the first former president to face criminal charges. An attorney for Trump said on Friday he will plead not guilty.

The indictment followed an investigation by a Manhattan grand jury, which heard evidence about a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels allegedly authorized by Trump in the waning days of the 2016 presidential campaign. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, has said she was paid to keep silent about a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. Trump has denied that this encounter took place; concealing payments such as this could potentially violate campaign finance laws.

The reaction to the indictment by congressional Republicans and even his potential Republican rivals for the White House nomination has demonstrated the firm grip that Trump still retains on the party, thanks to the diehard support of a core group of voters.

Party leaders have rallied behind Trump. Even DeSantis, who has yet to declare his candidacy but is expected to do so soon, called the indictment "un-American."

Sarah Longwell, a Republican strategist and Trump critic, has conducted seven focus groups this year with people who voted for the businessman-turned-politician in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, to gauge how they feel about his candidacy this time round.

On Friday, a day after news of the indictment broke, all nine members of her latest focus group said they were going to vote for Trump over DeSantis in the Republican primary - the first time the ex-president has had universal backing in a focus group, Longwell said.

The reason was the indictment, Longwell added.

"People always feel defensive on his behalf," Longwell said. The question going forward, she said, was whether the outrage on Trump's behalf among Republican voters will endure throughout the primary and help him defeat DeSantis, or whether it will dissipate and be replaced by renewed concerns about his electability.

Longwell said there is no guarantee the charges will continue to help Trump in the long term, especially if he is indicted in other investigations he faces, including alleged election interference in Georgia and the mishandling of classified documents.

Trump's campaign boasted in an email to supporters on Sunday that it has raised over $4 million since the indictment was announced. Steven Cheung, a Trump spokesman, said in an email to Reuters that the charges had "surged" support for Trump.

"Americans from all backgrounds are sick and tired of the weaponization of the justice system against President Trump and his supporters," Cheung said.

A spokesperson for DeSantis did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

LIVE UPDATES - Russian air defenses down 10 HIMARS, Smerch rockets in Ukraine operation

©Russian Defence Ministry/TASS

Russian air defense forces intercepted ten rockets of the HIMARS and Smerch multiple launch rocket systems and destroyed seven Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Monday.

"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities intercepted ten rockets of the HIMARS and Smerch multiple launch rocket systems. In addition, they destroyed seven Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Aleksandrovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Naugolnoye and Staraya Krasnyanka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroy 75 Ukrainian troops in Kupyansk area

Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the Kupyansk area, eliminating roughly 75 enemy troops over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, aircraft and artillery of the western battlegroup struck the Ukrainian army units near the settlements of Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region and Artyomovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

The strikes eliminated enemy manpower and equipment, the general said.

"The enemy lost as many as 75 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles and a D-30 howitzer," Konashenkov reported.

Russian forces eliminate 50 Ukrainian troops in Krasny Liman area

Russian forces eliminated roughly 50 Ukrainian troops in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, he said.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, assault aircraft, artillery and units of the battlegroup Center inflicted damage on the Ukrainian army’s manpower and equipment near the settlement of Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic in their active operations," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminated as many as 50 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, a pickup truck and a D-30 howitzer, the general specified.

Russian forces eliminate 285 Ukrainian troops in Donetsk advance

Russian forces eliminated about 285 Ukrainian troops and mercenaries in their advance in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, as many as 285 Ukrainian personnel and mercenaries, a tank, three infantry fighting vehicles, two armored personnel carriers, an armored combat vehicle, eight motor vehicles, two pickup trucks, a Grad multiple rocket launcher, four D-30 howitzers and also two ammunition depots were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of active operations by units of the southern battlegroup and artillery fire," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroy 45 Ukrainian troops in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye areas

Russian forces destroyed roughly 45 Ukrainian troops and a Polish-made Krab artillery gun in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, aircraft and artillery of the battlegroup East inflicted damage on the Ukrainian army units near the settlements of Novomikhailovka and Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the spokesman specified.

"The enemy’s total losses in those areas in the past 24 hours amounted to 45 Ukrainian personnel, two pickup trucks, a D-30 howitzer, and also a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery gun," the general said.

Russian forces destroy ten Ukrainian troops, howitzer in Kherson area

Russian forces destroyed about 10 Ukrainian troops and an Akatsiya howitzer in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kherson direction, as many as ten Ukrainian personnel, two motor vehicles and also an Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer were destroyed as a result of damage inflicted on the enemy by firepower in the past 24 hours," the spokesman said.

Russian forces strike 79 Ukrainian artillery units in past day

Russian forces struck 79 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"During the last 24-hour period, operational/tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 79 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and equipment in 98 areas," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroy 405 Ukrainian combat aircraft in special military op In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 405 Ukrainian warplanes, 228 helicopters, 3,648 unmanned aerial vehicles, 415 surface-to-air missile systems, 8,521 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,078 multiple rocket launchers, 4,494 field artillery guns and mortars and 9,287 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.

Special operation, 2 April. Main:

▪️United forces of the Russian Federation repelled a combined strike of multiple launch rocket systems of the Ukrainian troops in the South Donetsk direction, the head of the press center of the Vostok group told RIA Novosti;

▪️Russian military personnel destroyed up to 15 Ukrainian soldiers and the Akatsiya howitzer in the Kherson direction in a day, the Russian Defense Ministry said;

▪️The Russian military destroyed the command post and communications center of the Ukrainian 58th motorized infantry brigade in the DPR. The Russian military destroyed a Ukrainian artillery depot in the LPR;

▪️In the Kupyansk and Krasnoliman directions, Kyiv lost about 130 military personnel;

▪️Seven residents, including three children and a teenager, from the border village of the Kursk region were injured of varying severity as a result of a mortar attack from Ukraine, the governor of the Kursk region said;

▪️It is not supposed to place nuclear weapons in the Czech Republic, said the head of the Ministry of Defense of the republic, Yana Chernokhova, commenting on Putin's statement about the possible deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus;

▪️Vladlen Tatarsky, a military commander who worked in the special operation zone, died on Sunday in an explosion in a cafe in St. Petersburg.

Suspect in Tatarsky case admits she brought statuette bomb that killed war correspondent

Darya Trepova
©Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia

Darya Trepova, detained on suspicion of being involved in the murder of military correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky, has confessed that she was the one who brought the statuette bomb that exploded inside the cafe, according to a video released by the Russian Interior Ministry's press center on Monday.

"I was the one who snuck in the statuette that exploded," she said.

Asked what she had been detained for, Trepova replied, "I was detained, I would say, for being at the scene of Vladlen Tatarsky's murder."

She refused to say who gave her the statuette.

"I'll talk about that later, if you don’t mind," Trepova said.

Video interview of a woman allegedly involved in the explosion in a cafe on Vasilyevsky Island in St. Petersburg

The cafe bombing occurred on April 2 during a meeting with military correspondent Maxim Fomin, known under the pen-name Vladlen Tatarsky. He died instantly. More than 30 people were injured. The blast’s yield is estimated at 200 grams of TNT. Investigative Committee detectives and forensic experts are examining the crime scene.

The criminal case has been transferred to the central office of the Investigative Committee. On Sunday evening law enforcement officers searched Trepova's home in St. Petersburg. Her mother and sister were interviewed. According to preliminary findings, it was Trepova who handed the figurine bomb to Tatarsky.

The National Anti-Terrorism Committee said that the terrorist act against Tatarsky had been masterminded by Ukraine’s special services and agents collaborating with Alexey Navalny’s anti-corruption foundation (recognized as an extremist organization in Russia). Trepova is a supporter of the foundation.

Tatarsky’s murder plotted by Ukrainian intel services, involved Navalny’s firm — officials

The terror attack on war reporter Vladlen Tatarsky [real name: Maxim Fomin] was plotted by Ukrainian special services, which in turn recruited agents from among individuals working with incarcerated blogger Alexey Navalny’s foundation (designated an extremist organization in Russia), the National Anti-Terrorism Committee told TASS on Monday.

"The investigation has established that the April 2 act of terror against prominent journalist Vladlen Tatarsky in St. Petersburg was plotted by Ukrainian special services and involved a number of people who cooperate with the so-called Anti-Corruption Foundation of [Alexey] Navalny, who was actively supported by detainee [Darya] Trepova," the Committee said in a statement.

The probe is ongoing, Russia’s anti-terrorism body said.

The motives behind Trepova’s crime are currently being established, Investigative Committee Spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko told reporters. Trepova has been detained; appropriate restraining measures are now being determined for her.

A blast ripped through a caf·, Street Food-Bar No. 1, on Universitetskaya Embankment in central St. Petersburg on April 2. One person, military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, who was hosting an event there, died on the spot, while over 30 people were injured. According to preliminary data, an explosive device with a yield of more than 200 grams of TNT went off near the stage. Investigators and forensic crime scene units are still working at the scene.

The resulting criminal case has been assigned to the Investigative Committee’s central office. On Sunday evening, law enforcement agents searched Trepova’s apartment in St. Petersburg, where her mother and her sister were interrogated. According to preliminary reports, it was Trepova who handed Tatarsky a statuette that appeared to have been stuffed with explosives.

Suspect in St. Petersburg cafe blast detained, Investigative Committee reports

Investigative Committee officers have detained Darya Trepova, the suspect in a St.Petersburg cafe blast that killed war reporter Vladlen Tatarsky on Sunday, the Committee told reporters on Monday.

"Russian Investigative Committee officers in cooperation with operatives detained Darya Trepova on suspicion of her being behind the St. Petersburg cafe blast," the Investigative Committee said.

©Alexander Demyanchuk/TASS

A blast occurred in Streetfood-Bar No 1 on Universitetskaya Embankment in central St. Petersburg on April 2. One person, war reporter Vladlen Tatarsky who held an event there, died on the spot, and over 30 people were injured. According to preliminary data, an explosive device with a yield of more than 200 grams of TNT went off near the stage. Investigators and crime scene units are still working on the scene.

On Sunday evening, law enforcement agents searched Trepova’s flat in St. Petersburg, where her mother and her sister were interrogated. According to preliminary reports, it was Trepova who handed Tatarsky a statuette stuffed with explosives. She was later wanted by the police.

Kremlin: War reporter Tatarsky's murder is act of terrorism, Putin was urgently informed

The murder of war reporter Vladlen Tatarsky is a terrorist act, Russian President Vladimir Putin was immediately informed of the incident, Kremlin Sspokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.

"This is a terrorist act, you and I have seen the National Antiterrorism Committee’s statement. Now there is an active phase of the investigation, we see quite energetic steps to detain suspects. Let's be patient in any case and wait for statements from our special services that are working there. There is evidence, judging by the National Antiterrorism Committee’s statement, that Ukrainian special services may be involved in the planning of this terrorist attack, and, of course, this is a terrorist attack," Peskov reiterated.

In reply to a clarifying question whether the president was aware, he assured: "Yesterday, he was immediately informed on the subject."

Peskov did not say whether Tatarsky might posthumously recieve a state award from the head of state. "I can't say anything about that yet. I do not have this information," the spokesman explained, noting that reporters would be informed after the data was clarified.

Peskov added that the Kremlin wished a speedy recovery to the victims of the explosion. "And, of course, our condolences to the family and friends of Fomin, who died as a result of this terrorist attack," he said.

The explosion in the cafe happened around 6 p.m. on April 2 during an event hosted by Tatarsky. The journalist was killed on the spot and more than 30 people were injured. According to preliminary data, an explosive device with a yield of more than 200 grams of TNT went off near the stage. Investigators are continuing to work at the scene. Criminal charges of murder by socially dangerous means (Part 2, Article 105 of the Russian Criminal Code) have been filed.

The criminal case was transferred to the Investigative Committee’s central office. According to the National Antiterrorism Committee’s statement, the attack was planned by the Ukrainian special services, as well as agents collaborating with Alexey Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation FBK (recognized as a foreign agent NGO).