At least three killed in Moscow restaurant bombing, Russian officials say

Lead

An explosion at an Italian restaurant in central Moscow on Saturday evening killed at least three people and injured at least 21 others, Russian authorities said. The blast occurred near the entrance to the Balzi Rossi restaurant in Kudrinskaya Square, located in one of Moscow's seven Stalin-era skyscrapers, shortly before 8 p.m. local time.

Emergency services and heavily armed police sealed off the area after the explosion, lifting the cordon by the following day. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the incident as a "brutal terrorist attack" and vowed that those responsible would be found and punished.

Coverage Comparison

Reports of the death toll varied among outlets. Most reported at least three deaths—the woman carrying the explosive device, a security guard, and a restaurant patron. However, The Guardian's reporting mentioned five people killed and 19 injured. The Guardian reported that a woman carrying an improvised explosive device attempted to enter the restaurant but was stopped by a security guard; the device detonated, killing five. Some outlets, such as Dawn and the Jerusalem Post, reported that two people who had been taken to hospital later died, bringing the death toll to five, though this was not officially confirmed.

Key Claims

• Deaths and injuries: At least three people were killed in the explosion, including the suspected bomber. The Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported at least 21 others were injured.

• Sequence of events: According to Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee, an unidentified woman carrying a homemade explosive device attempted to enter the restaurant but was stopped by a security guard. The device detonated moments then, killing the woman, the guard, and a restaurant patron.

• Location and time: The explosion occurred just before 8 p.m. at the Balzi Rossi Italian restaurant, located in one of Moscow's seven Stalin-era skyscrapers in Kudrinskaya Square.

• Possible lack of awareness: The Kommersant daily newspaper, citing its own sources, reported that the bomb may have been set off remotely by someone else and that the woman carrying the explosive device may not have known that it was an explosive.

• Military link: Social media reports, cited by The Guardian and other outlets, suggested that a senior Russian military commander may have been the intended target. The Guardian reported that pro-Kremlin military bloggers and some independent Russian media claimed the attack was aimed at Col Gen Unnamed, identified in some reports as a senior commander. These reports were unverified.

Perspectives

Russia: Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin condemned the attack as a "brutal terrorist attack" and pledged to punish those responsible. The Russian Embassy in Italy blamed the attack on Ukraine, saying "the Kyiv terrorists wanted to scare Italians working in Russia." Officials have not provide evidence for this assertion.

Ukraine: Kyiv has not commented on the incident, according to various reports. The Ukrainian government did not make official response.

Residents: BBC reporting said that most of the people they spoke with in Kudrinskaya Square believe the explosion is directly connected to the war in Ukraine, following a pattern of bomb attacks and attempted killings since 2022.