Three killed, 21 injured in Moscow restaurant bomb blast

At least three people died and 21 were injured when an improvised explosive device detonated at an Italian restaurant in Moscow, according to security authorities cited by Russian state media. The blast occurred around 8 p.m. local time on Saturday near Kudrinskaya Square, a central Moscow location known for its imposing Stalin-era skyscrapers.

National Anti-Terrorist Committee (NAK) officials stated that a woman attempting to enter the restaurant with the explosive device was intercepted by a security guard. The device then detonated, killing the woman, the guard, and a restaurant patron.

The restaurant was hosting a private event at the time of the explosion. Authorities have not yet released a guest list or commented on the potential target of the attack. Witnesses at the scene reported seeing victims being carried out covered in blood shortly after the explosion.

Initial reports suggested the explosion originated in the restaurant's kitchen, but the restaurant's management later clarified that the disturbance occurred outside the premises. Russia has a history of experiencing attacks described as terrorist acts.