Woman detained in Sevastopol over death of Russian brigade deputy commander
In Sevastopol, temporarily occupied by Russia, the aggressor state, 32-year-old Sochi resident Margarita Royt was detained in connection with an explosion that killed Robert Shageyev, deputy commander of a Russian Black Sea Fleet submarine brigade, on August 13. An explosive device equivalent to approximately 500 grams of TNT had been hidden in a rubbish bin in a square in a residential area of the city.
As The Guardian World writes, Russian law enforcement officers detained Royt within hours of the explosion. Shageyev died at the scene. He had previously commanded the Ukrainian Navy's only submarine, but defected to Russia after Russia's attempted illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Statements by Russian security forces
The FSB of the aggressor state stated that Royt allegedly confessed to involvement in the attack. According to the Russian security service, a person linked to Ukrainian intelligence allegedly promised her a substantial reward in cryptocurrency and documents to leave Russia.
Russian investigators also claim that during a search, they found a remote control at Royt's residence which, in their view, could have been used to detonate the device. The Guardian notes that it is impossible to independently verify these claims. The outlet also recalls that Russian security agencies have previously published alleged confessions by detainees before their cases were heard in court.
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Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the explosion in Sevastopol or Royt's alleged role in it.
What is known about the detainee
According to the outlet, Margarita Royt, who was born under the surname Yakovleva, grew up in Yaroslavl and studied management in Novosibirsk. She was involved in parachuting, amateur karting and water polo, and later moved to Sochi. There, she worked briefly in the tourism sector and later at Vitauct, a company specializing in alternative medicine.
Acquaintances described Royt as sociable, inclined toward adventure and risk. According to them, after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she became increasingly critical of the war. In July 2025, she was fined in Russia for allegedly “discrediting” the Russian army following an incident on a train. At the end of spring, friends said, she became more withdrawn, and in summer she began traveling more frequently to temporarily occupied Crimea.
