Margarita Reutt, a 32-year-old woman from Sochi, has been accused by Russian authorities of planting a bomb that killed Robert Shageev, deputy commander of a Russian Black Sea fleet submarine brigade, in Sevastopol on 13 August. The attack, which involved a bomb containing the equivalent of about 500g of TNT hidden in a rubbish bin, killed Shageev instantly. Reutt was detained within hours, and investigators said they found a remote control believed to have been used to detonate the bomb.
Background of the Accused
Reutt, born Margarita Yakovleva, grew up in Yaroslavl and was raised largely by her grandmother. Friends describe her as warm, sociable, and unusually drawn to adventure and risk. In Novosibirsk, she studied management, took up parachuting, won prizes in go-karting, and played water polo for her university team. She also volunteered with a patriotic group searching for remains of Soviet soldiers from World War II.
After graduating, Reutt moved to Sochi, where she worked at Vitauct, an alternative medicine company. The company's founder, Gennadiy Garbuzov, expressed shock at the allegations, saying, "She was the most ordinary person. There was nothing to indicate she would do this. She must have fallen under someone's influence."
Shift in Attitude
Friends say Reutt's dissatisfaction with Russia grew after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In July 2025, she was fined under a law against "discrediting" the armed forces after reportedly shouting "Serves you right, Russians!" on a train. In February, she posted genetic test results showing she was 98% Russian, adding a hashtag declaring she was "ashamed to be Russian."
In late spring, friends noticed changes in her behavior. She became withdrawn, declined a planned trip, and acquired a second phone, which she said was for work. She also began spending more time in Crimea, explaining she was scouting locations for video shoots.
Allegations and Impact
The FSB claims Reutt confessed to the attack, saying a handler linked to Ukrainian intelligence promised her cryptocurrency and documents to leave Russia. These assertions could not be independently verified. Kyiv has not commented on the bombing. If the allegations are true, Reutt joins a growing group of Russian citizens accused of carrying out sabotage for Ukrainian intelligence, a tactic that offers advantages such as easier movement and less scrutiny.
A friend of two decades recalled Reutt's determination: "If she had a plan in mind, she would do it. Even if it was something like this." Her trial is likely to be held behind closed doors, offering little public opportunity for her to give her own account.
