Restaurant explosion in Moscow kills 3, injures 21

An explosion at an upscale dining venue in central Moscow on Saturday evening claimed three lives, including the suspected perpetrator, and left 21 others injured. The incident occurred at the Balzi Rossi restaurant on Kudrinskaya Square during a private banquet.

According to Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee, an unidentified woman carrying what appeared to be an improvised explosive device attempted to enter the restaurant. The device detonated prematurely outside the premises, killing the woman, a security guard who intercepted her, and a restaurant patron.

Law enforcement agencies are currently investigating the incident to establish the identity of the woman and her motive. It is not yet confirmed whether the detonation was accidental or intentional. The blast took place around 8:10 p.m. local time, adjacent to an outdoor terrace at the historic Stalinist-era building that houses the restaurant.

The Balzi Rossi restaurant, located on the ground floor of a prominent residential skyscraper, was closed to the public for the private event. Following the explosion, the area was secured for forensic operations. The head chef of the restaurant, Carmine Alfieri, stated on Instagram that the staff were unharmed and downplayed the incident as a "minor issue at the restaurant entrance."

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We're all fine, and our restaurant and kitchen are in perfect condition; there was just a minor issue at the restaurant entrance.