Ekaterina Didenko or Yekaterina Didenko (Russian: Екатерина Диденко) is Russian pharmacist, blogger and Instagram star, known for a tragic accident that occured in 2020 during her birthday Party, resulting in death of her husband and two other persons.^[1]

Didenko was born in Pyatigorsk, city in Stavropol Krai in south of Russia. She graduated at local medical school earning the title of "pharmacist".

She started blog dedicated to pharmacy, describing herself as "Pharmacy Auditor" and providing readers tips about best Medicine in order "to save them the trip to pharmacy". Despite some of her tips causing controversy, she became popular and that reflected in her Instagram account reaching 1.1 million followers.^[3]

Her husband Valentin, with whom she had a son and daughter, also participated in her online activities.

The incident occured on Friday February 28th 2020 in a Moscow bath complex rented by Didenkos and their friend in order to have pool party. Around 18 people, dressed in chemists' suits, gathered around the pool. As a surprise, her husband Valentin dropped 25 kilograms of dry ice in the water with intention of creating "cool" visual effects.^[4] This was followed by one of the partygoers jumping in the water. The dry ice in contact with water created a chemical reaction resulting in lethal dose of carbon dioxide being discharged in the air. People who got in touch with it lost concsiousness and two died on site, while Valentin later died in the hospital.

The news of the incident was followed by video being shared on social media.

Didenko immediately afterwards made Internet posts from the hospital where her husband was unsuccessfully treated.

Didenko became the target of criticism on social media, with many considering her the main culprit behind the tragedy and even accusing her for using the incident for self-promotion.

Russian authorities began to investigate the incident as involuntary manslaughter. ^[2]

Yekaterina Didenko was afterwards guest at Let Them Talk talk show at Channel One Russia^[5], where she tried to explain circumstances of the tragedy and her actions during and immediately afterwards. She was accompanied by Mariya Derevshikova-Perepelitsa, the attorney she had hired to represent her in eventual criminal or civil proceedings related to the case.^[6]