Margarita Reutt, a Russian citizen, has been accused by her government of orchestrating the attack that resulted in the death of Robert Shagiev, the deputy commander of a submarine brigade in the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Reports indicate that Shagiev was killed on August 13 when a bomb, containing the equivalent of 500 grams of TNT, detonated in a trash can while he was passing through a residential area in Sevastopol, Crimea.
Shagiev, who previously commanded the only Ukrainian submarine that sided with Russia during Crimea’s annexation, died instantly in the blast. In the aftermath of the attack, Russian police arrested 32-year-old Margarita Reutt, a resident of Sochi, a resort city on the Russian Black Sea coast.
Russian investigators claim to have discovered a remote control during searches, which they believe was used to detonate the bomb that killed Shagiev. According to the Federal Security Service (FSB), Reutt confessed to the attack, alleging that a coordinator with ties to Ukrainian services promised her a substantial payment in cryptocurrency and documents that would enable her to leave Russia.
Counterintelligence officials stated that Reutt showed no remorse for her actions.
Friends Shocked by Her Actions
Interviews with numerous acquaintances and friends of Reutt, along with an analysis of her social media activity over the years, paint a picture of a determined and adventurous woman whose attitude towards her country appears to have hardened over time, with notable changes observed in the months leading up to the attack, as reported by The Guardian.
“Rita believed the country was heading in the wrong direction,” stated an old friend. “However, I am still shocked that she went this far,” they added.
Margarita Reutt, formerly known as Yakovleva, grew up in Yaroslavl, northeast of Moscow, adopting her grandmother’s surname after her parents divorced. Friends describe her as warm and sociable but unusually drawn to adventure and risk.
“Margarita was fearless. She would climb trees, jump off cars, and do things that most boys would be afraid of,” recalled a childhood friend.
Adventurous Spirit
Reutt studied management in Novosibirsk, where she became a familiar face at a local parachuting club. She also won awards in amateur karting competitions and began playing water polo, serving as the goalkeeper for her university team.
While in Novosibirsk, Reutt was a valued member of a patriotic volunteer group dedicated to recovering the remains of Soviet soldiers who died during World War II, showing no signs of hostility towards the Kremlin at the time.
After graduation, she moved to Sochi, briefly attempted to run a travel agency, and later joined Vitauct, a company specializing in alternative medicine and longevity in the early 2020s.
“She was the most ordinary person,” said Gennadiy Garbuzov, founder of the company, who tried to calm Reutt amid the accusations against her. “There was nothing to indicate she would do this. She must have come under someone’s influence,” he added.
The analysis from The Guardian also reveals that Margarita Reutt frequently traveled abroad, including visits to Turkey, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.
