An explosive device detonated on the balcony of the Blazy Rossi restaurant during a private event for a senior figure, according to initial reports. The device was carried by an individual described as a 'suicide bomber,' though it is likely he was unaware of the bomb. The individual was killed in the blast. The Maybach of Russian State Duma member Zelimkhan Matsuyev was found in the parking lot.
A suicide bomber, who initial reports suggest was unaware he was carrying an explosive device, detonated the bomb on the balcony of the Blazy Rossi restaurant in central Moscow earlier this evening, during a private event for a senior figure. The bomber was killed. A Maybach belonging to Russian State Duma member Zelimkhan Matsuyev was found in the restaurant's parking lot. This new detail emerges as Russian officials have revised the casualty toll from the blast to three killed and 15 wounded.
The blast was first reported at 20:42 Jerusalem time, with initial accounts suggesting a gas cylinder explosion. The Zioneer's subsequent reporting, also at 20:42, revealed that the restaurant was closed for a private event and that several senior officers were present. By 20:42, Russian media had identified the target as Aerospace Forces Commander General Alexander Chayko, who was celebrating his birthday at the venue. Shortly after, Russian state news agency TASS, citing official sources, confirmed the revised casualty figure of three killed and 15 wounded.
The presence of a Russian lawmaker's vehicle at the scene raises questions about the guest list. Matsuyev is a member of the State Duma. It is not yet clear whether the suicide bombing was specifically directed at the gathering of military and political figures, or if the lawmaker was present at the time of the blast.
The identity of the bomber and the affiliation of those who orchestrated the attack remain unconfirmed. The initial report of the bomber being unwitting is based on a single unverified source.
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