Court rules Ülemiste shopping mall bombing suspect must remain in custody

Court rules Ülemiste shopping mall bombing suspect must remain in custody A man charged with causing an explosion at a Tallinn shopping mall just before Christmas 2025 is to remain in custody pending trial, a court has ruled. The first-tier Harju County Court on Tuesday weighed up whether the suspect, Artur Boiko, should remain in custody ahead of his trial following the bombing at the Ülemiste keskus mall in Tallinn last December, which seriously injured one person. Court spokesperson Viivika Siplane said the decision was that Boiko, 61, should remain in custody, citing the severity of the charges against him and his prior criminal convictions. The indictment states that on the evening of December 20, 2025, Boiko took a homemade explosive device to the Ülemiste keskus mall and placed it in a garbage bin opposite the Rimi supermarket checkout zone, then left the scene. Close to an hour and a half later, the device detonated as a cleaner was emptying the bin. The cleaner sustained serious injuries as a consequence. Prosecutors have also charged Boiko with causing the explosion and with the illegal handling of a large quantity of explosives and essential explosive components. Andres Ratassepp, deputy director general of the Internal Security Service (ISS), said that a search of Boiko's home uncovered a large quantity of homemade explosives and, according to a preliminary assessment, more than 60 improvised explosive devices. The investigative operations following the incident were worked on by over 100 people, including ISS officers, Police and Border Guard Board personnel, 10 rescue workers, six bomb disposal specialists and a police dog. Boiko had requested that he be released and electronically tagged during the pre-trial period; the court is to decide on that request after receiving an assessment from the probation service. Boiko also sought the removal of his court-appointed defense lawyer, but the other parties to the proceedings opposed the request and the court rejected the request. The next hearing is scheduled for August 31 and it will address the admissibility of a civil claim, the planning of the judicial examination and any further motions. The Prosecutor's Office charged Boiko in June with the illegal handling of explosives, causing an explosion and the attempted murder of another person using an explosive device. -- Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update! Editor: Andrew Whyte, Valner Väino