Bomb explodes in Moscow restaurant during celebration; Russian general may have been target

A powerful bomb explosion outside a Moscow restaurant has left at least three people dead and 21 injured, with authorities investigating the incident as a terrorist act. The blast occurred Saturday evening at a restaurant located in one of the iconic Stalin-era skyscrapers near the Barrikadnaya metro station.

Exiled Russian media and military bloggers have circulated rumors suggesting the attack may have targeted General Alexander Tschaiko, commander of the Russian Air Force, who recently celebrated his 55th birthday. Reports indicate the restaurant was decorated for his birthday, and the private event was attended by representatives of Russian intelligence, the military, and government officials.

According to the National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAK) and the newspaper Kommersant, a woman attempted to gain access to the restaurant's veranda by claiming to deliver a gift basket. When a security guard tried to inspect the package, it detonated. The NAK described the device as a homemade explosive hidden within the "gift" and filled with small metal pellets. The suspected bomber was reportedly torn apart by the blast, and the intended target, possibly General Tschaiko, remained unharmed. Many of the injured are reported to be in serious condition.

The incident immediately drew comparisons to the assassination of Vladlen Tatarsky, a prominent pro-war military blogger and writer, in April 2023. Tatarsky was killed by a bomb hidden inside a statue given to him during a public appearance in St. Petersburg.