Deadly blast in Moscow restaurant kills 3, injures 21

A bomb blast in a central Moscow restaurant on Saturday claimed three lives and left 21 people injured. The explosion occurred at the Balzi Rossi restaurant, located in one of Moscow's Stalin-era skyscrapers on Kudrinskaya Square.

Reports indicate a woman attempted to enter the restaurant carrying a homemade explosive device. Security guard intervention before she entered the premises may have limited the scale of the casualties. The fatalities reportedly include the woman, the security guard, and one restaurant customer. However, official confirmation of the identities of those killed or injured, and the naming of a suspect, are still pending.

Initial theories suggested a gas canister explosion, but Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee confirmed the detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED). Unconfirmed reports circulating on social media suggest the blast occurred near a Russian general's birthday celebration, though authorities have not verified this. The restaurant's website indicated it was closed for a private event on Saturday.

Further complicating the investigation, Russian newspaper Kommersant cited sources suggesting the bomb might have been detonated remotely, with the woman possibly unaware she was carrying it. Russian authorities continue their ongoing investigation into the incident.