Last week hundreds gathered in Moscow for the funeral of high-profile Russian pro-military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, 40. He was killed in a bomb attack in Saint Petersburg on April 2.

Tatarsky was known for his pro-military stance and his active support of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. He had a significant following on the Telegram messaging app, with over 500,000 followers. And he was vocal online demanding Russia pursue the war even more aggressively.

Tatarsky's funeral was held at the prestigious Troyekurovskoye cemetery in western Moscow. 

Despite heavy security measures, including metal detectors and thorough security checks, some supporters wore symbols of Moscow's assault on Ukraine. These symbols were the letters Z and V, on their clothes.

 Notably, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the controversial mercenary Wagner Group, was also present at the funeral but left before the service.

The cafe where Tatarsky was killed was owned by Prigozhin, who praised Tatarsky for his contribution helping to "destroy the enemy".

From the frontlines to pro-military blogger

Tatarsky's life was marked by his involvement in the conflict in Ukraine. He joined the separatists after a Moscow-backed rebellion erupted there in 2014. And fought on the front lines for years before turning to blogging. 

Last September, he recorded himself at a Kremlin ceremony announcing the annexation of four Ukrainian regions, making bold statements such as "We will defeat everyone. We will kill everyone. We will rob everyone as necessary. Just as we like it."

Russian authorities have accused Ukraine and supporters of jailed critic Alexey Navalny of orchestrating the attack. In Ukraine, they blame Russia's domestic infighting.

The investigation has led to the arrest of Darya Trepova, a 26-year-old St. Petersburg resident, on "terrorist offenses" related to the bombing. According to Time she was previous arrested for anti-war protesting.

Tatarsky was conducting a meet-and-greet at the cafe. He was the guest of a pro-war group called Cyber Front Z when the blast occurred. 

A video shared by a Telegram channel linked to Russian law enforcement showed Tatarsky being handed something by Darya Trepova minutes before the explosion.

Tatarsky's death follows the murder of Darya Dugina, the daughter of a prominent ultra-nationalist intellectual. She was killed in a car bombing outside Moscow last year. And the death has shaken the Kremlin-connected elite.

Russia also blamed that death on Ukraine. 

Tatarsky's life as a fighter-turned-blogger and his support for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine have drawn attention to the complex political landscape in Russia.