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🇸🇪 Sweden /Conflict & Security

Bomb kills three at Moscow restaurant; Air Force chief may have been target

From Svenska Dagbladet · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • A bomb exploded at the entrance of a restaurant in central Moscow, killing three people and injuring 21.
  • The explosion occurred when a woman, believed to be delivering the bomb as a gift, was stopped by a security guard.
  • Authorities are investigating the incident as a terrorist act, with speculation that the target may have been the Russian Air Force chief, Alexander Chayko, who was reportedly celebrating his birthday inside.

A homemade bomb detonated at the entrance of the Italian restaurant Balzi Rossi in central Moscow on Saturday evening, killing a woman believed to have delivered the device, a security guard, and another guest. The blast injured 21 people.

The woman, the guard and another guest were killed. 21 people were injured.

— Russian National Anti-Terrorism CommitteeReporting the immediate casualties of the bombing.

Russian authorities are investigating the incident as a terrorist act. Preliminary reports suggest the woman may not have known the bomb's contents, telling security guards it was a birthday present. There are also unconfirmed indications that the bomb was detonated remotely.

Sources indicate that Russian Air Force chief Alexander Chayko may have been the intended target, as he was reportedly celebrating his 55th birthday at the restaurant. However, Russian authorities have not officially confirmed if Chayko was the target or if he was among the casualties.

The package contained a birthday present.

— Woman (allegedly)What the woman reportedly told security guards about the package before it exploded.

Chayko, who was appointed head of the Russian Air Force earlier this year, has previously held various command positions within the Russian military. Ukraine has accused him of being the commanding officer responsible for the 2022 Butcha massacre. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing.

There are also signs that the bomb was detonated remotely by someone else.

— Kommersant (newspaper source)Reporting unconfirmed details about the detonation method.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Svenska Dagbladet in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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