Pro-Kremlin writer issues defiant message after car blast

MOSCOW — Zakhar Prilepin insisted on Sunday that he would not be scared off, a day after being wounded in a car blast that killed his friend and assistant.

“I tell the demons: you will not intimidate anyone,” Prilepin said in his first message since the incident. “God exists. We will win.”

He paid tribute to Alexander Shubin who was travelling with him when Saturday’s attack happened.

“My dear friend, who worked as my guardian angel for 8 years, has died,” Prilepin wrote.

Prilepin also wrote that he had dropped his daughter off “five minutes before the explosion”.

Russia has blamed the blast that targeted the 47-year-old writer on Ukraine and the United States. Prilepin is a fervent supporter of the offensive in Ukraine.

The writer recalled losing consciousness for three minutes, before crawling out for help.

“Thanks to everyone who prayed, because it should have been impossible to survive such an explosion,” wrote Prilepin, who has both legs broken.

A picture released by the Russian Investigative Committee showed a wrecked, overturned white car.

Prilepin said there had been two mines, only one of which was detonated.

Officials initially said the person driving the car had been killed in the blast, but Prilepin said he was behind the wheel.

He thanked regional governor Gleb Nikitin for sending a helicopter to his rescue, as well as his family and the various Russian officials who condemned the attack.