Three people were killed and 15 injured after an explosion tore through an upscale Moscow restaurant on Saturday evening where local reports said a top Russian general was celebrating his birthday.
The blast occurred around 8 p.m. local time at the Balzi Rossi restaurant on Kudrinskaya Square, located on the ground floor of one of Moscow’s Stalin-era skyscrapers. The restaurant is known for hosting celebrities, politicians, and members of the elite.
After a flurry of conflicting reports suggesting the blast had been caused by a gas leak or a freak accident, Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee said an explosive device was to blame. An unidentified woman was said to have tried to bring the explosive into the restaurant, before being stopped by a security guard.
Russia’s Kommersant newspaper, citing sources in law enforcement, reported that the woman had approached with a box that she said contained a gift for the restaurant’s guests, but as soon as the guard opened it, it exploded.
Several Russian and Ukrainian Telegram channels reported that the restaurant had been closed for a private event celebrating the 55th birthday of General Alexander Chayko, notorious for his alleged involvement in war crimes committed in Ukraine during the first months of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Those claims have not been officially confirmed, and other local reports cited witnesses who said a wedding reception had been underway at the restaurant.
Witnesses described seeing government vehicles parked around the restaurant for the private event, which was held on the restaurant’s veranda and reportedly had its own security detail.
Video from the scene showed shattered windows, debris strewn across the entrance, a severed arm, and heavily armed law enforcement officers guarding the area as emergency crews searched the building.
The explosion also disrupted city events, with Moscow’s Department of Transport postponing its Night Bike Festival, which had been scheduled to begin later Saturday.
The explosion comes as Putin faces mounting criticism over a series of security failures inside Russia. In the past weeks, Ukrainian drone strikes have struck into Russian territory, including an attack that destroyed more than $2 billion worth of inventory at warehouses owned by online retailer Wildberries.
The growing threat also prompted the Kremlin to cancel its annual Navy Day parade in St. Petersburg over fears Ukrainian drones could target the event.
