Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 16 Aug 2026, 06:32 am Print
Margarita Reut The Russian escort was identified as 32-year-old Margarita Reut. Photo: Tymofiy Mylovanov/X
A Russian escort has been charged with the alleged assassination of a high-ranking Ukrainian defector who was killed in a bomb blast involving a trash can, according to media reports.
The 32-year-old escort has been identified as Margarita Reut.
She was arrested in Sevastopol, in Russian-occupied Crimea, following Thursday’s blast that killed Robert Shageev, the New York Post reported.
Shageev, a Ukrainian defector, reportedly served as an officer in Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and was wanted in Ukraine on charges of high treason.
According to the reports, the blast was allegedly carried out on Ukrainian orders, killing Shageev at the scene.
Reut reportedly confessed to the killing shortly after her arrest.
She was remanded on a charge of terrorism resulting in death, according to Russian-based E2W News, as cited by the New York Post.
According to Mash, a Russian news channel with alleged links to the security services, Reut showed no remorse when questioned about the killing, reportedly answering “no” when asked whether she regretted it. The Telegraph cited the report and said Reut had allegedly planned to flee Russia following the assassination.
Who is Margarita Reut?
According to media reports, Reut was born in Yaroslavl, a city about 160 miles northeast of Moscow.
She previously lived in Sochi, the Black Sea resort city that hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics, and frequently travelled to Crimea, according to Mash, as reported by the New York Post.
It remains unclear when Reut allegedly began working as a Ukrainian agent.
- Russia faces drone storm: Moscow claims 822 Ukrainian drones downed, apocalyptic blaze videos go viral
- Ukraine faces fresh Russian 'attack': 3 killed as missiles, drones rain down
- Russia under attack: 13, including child, killed after suspected Ukrainian drone strikes
- Thailand school horror: Suspect 'killed' grandparents before launching deadly attack
- Thailand school shooting horror: Teacher among two killed, several injured

