Moscow blast kills 3, including suspected bomber, and injures 21, authorities say

A homemade bomb exploded near an upscale restaurant in central Moscow on Saturday evening, killing three people and injuring at least 21, Russian authorities reported. The blast occurred just before 8 p.m. local time near an Italian restaurant at Kudrinskaya Square, one of the city's prominent Stalin-era skyscrapers.

According to Russia's Anti-Terrorism Committee, an unidentified woman attempted to enter the restaurant but was stopped by a security guard. The explosion that followed killed the woman, the guard, and a customer at the Balzi Rossi Italian restaurant. The injured sustained wounds of varying severity.

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an unidentified woman had tried to get into the restaurant but was stopped by a security guard

Russian state media released footage of heavily armed law enforcement at the cordoned-off scene. Authorities have not yet identified the victims or potential perpetrators. The incident occurs amid heightened security concerns in Russia, with the FSB security service having previously announced increased protection for high-ranking military officials following a series of assassinations and attempted killings blamed on Kyiv.

Kommersant newspaper, citing its own sources, suggested the bomb was intended to cause mass casualties among diners on the restaurant's summer terrace. There is speculation that the bomb may have been detonated remotely, and the woman carrying it might not have been aware it contained explosives. The restaurant's website indicated it was closed for a private event on Saturday.

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the woman, the security guard and a customer at the Balzi Rossi Italian restaurant had been killed in the blast that followed