Bomb blast at Moscow restaurant kills three, injures 21; target may have been top general

A powerful explosion rocked Moscow on Tuesday evening, killing three people and injuring 21 others at the Balzi Rossi restaurant on Kudrinskaya Square. The blast occurred around 7:55 PM when a courier attempted to bring a homemade explosive device into the venue.

According to the Russian National Anti-Terrorism Committee, the courier, a security guard who tried to intervene, and one patron were killed. Emergency services quickly cordoned off the area, and city officials, including Deputy Mayor Maxim Liksutov, arrived at the scene. The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation has launched a formal investigation into the incident.

Media reports, citing sources, indicate the restaurant was closed for a private event attended by approximately 50 guests. Eyewitness accounts suggest the security guard stopped the woman carrying a box, which she claimed was a gift. When the guard attempted to inspect the box, the bomb detonated. The device, reportedly equivalent to one kilogram of TNT and packed with metal pellets, may have been detonated remotely.

Preliminary information suggests the attack may have been an assassination attempt targeting General-Colonel Alexander Chayko, the commander-in-chief of Russia's Aerospace Forces. Chayko, who was celebrating his 55th birthday on July 27, was reportedly near the restaurant at the time but was unharmed. The motive behind the attack remains under investigation.