New York Post: A 32-year-old biologist named Margarita Reut, who is said to have also worked as an escort, is being questioned over the alleged killing of a senior Russian Navy officer in the occupied Sevastopol on August 13.

According to claims by Russian authorities, Reut placed an improvised explosive device (IED) inside a trash can and, after Robert Shugiev passed the location, detonated it remotely; in the blast, Shugiev was killed.

Russian officials allege that the operation was carried out on orders from Ukrainian intelligence and that Reut was paid in cryptocurrency in return.

Shugiev had previously been an officer in the Ukrainian Navy; in 2014 he joined Russia and delivered an Ukrainian submarine to Russia. He later served as commander of Russia’s Kalibr-equipped submarines, which have been used in attacks against Ukrainian cities.

It has been reported that Reut also had a prior record and, in 2025, was fined for shouting the phrase “It’s your right, Russians!” after a Ukrainian drone attack on a train station.

According to this report, she confessed to the act and did not express regret.