An improvised explosive device detonated near the entrance of an upscale Italian restaurant in central Moscow on Saturday evening, killing three people and wounding at least 21, according to the Russian National Anti-Terrorism Committee. The blast occurred at around 20:00 local time in Kudrinskaya Square, located in one of Moscow's historic Stalin-era skyscrapers. The committee reported that a woman carrying the device attempted to enter the restaurant but was blocked by a security guard, after which the explosion occurred. The woman, the guard, and a customer were killed. Local outlet Baza and social media footage show the aftermath.
The Russian National Anti-Terrorism Committee officially confirmed on Sunday morning that the explosion at the Balzi Rossi restaurant in central Moscow on Saturday evening was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) carried by a woman, killing three people and wounding at least 21. The committee reported that the woman attempted to enter the restaurant but was blocked by a security guard, after which the detonation occurred. The woman, the guard, and a customer were killed.
This official confirmation comes after a rapid sequence of reports on Saturday evening. At 20:42 Jerusalem, Russian media first reported an explosion at a restaurant hosting a birthday party for General Alexander Chayko, commander of Russia's Space Forces, with an initial toll of three killed and 20 wounded. Within the same hour, the toll was revised to three killed and 15 wounded, then to three killed and 21 wounded. Israeli journalist Ariel Kahana (Israel Hayom) reported that the blast targeted General Chayko, who was celebrating his birthday but is not believed to be among the casualties. The victims were later identified as the woman carrying the device, the security guard, and a diner. Russian authorities stated that the bomb was attached to the woman's body.
The attack occurred amid Ukraine's expanding deep-strike campaign against Russian infrastructure. As The Zioneer reported on July 19, Ukraine struck logistics centers in the Moscow region, killing seven and wounding 25. On July 28, 390 Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow, hitting a distribution center and residential buildings. The targeting of a senior Russian military officer in a Moscow restaurant fits the pattern of Ukrainian operations, though no group has claimed responsibility for Saturday's blast.
Several questions remain open. The identity of the woman who carried the IED has not been disclosed. No organization has claimed responsibility, and the motive is still under investigation. The condition of General Chayko or whether he was present at the time of the explosion has not been independently confirmed.
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