In central Moscow, a woman carrying a homemade bomb caused an explosion near a prestigious restaurant, resulting in the deaths of three individuals and injuries to at least 21 others on Saturday evening, as per authorities. The incident took place close to an upscale Italian restaurant housed in one of Moscow’s historic Stalin-era skyscrapers at Kudrinskaya Square just before 8 p.m. local time.
According to Russia’s Anti-Terrorism Committee, an unidentified woman attempted to enter the restaurant but was intercepted by a security guard, leading to a fatal blast that claimed the lives of the woman, the security guard, and a restaurant customer. The injured individuals sustained wounds of varying severity, as reported by the police.
Video footage released by the RIA news agency showed heavily armed law enforcement officers securing the area, which was cordoned off from the public. The authorities refrained from disclosing the identities of the victims or the suspect behind the attack.
Amid Russia’s prolonged conflict with Ukraine, the FSB security service had previously announced heightened security measures for senior military officials following a string of assassinations and attempted killings attributed to Ukraine. Reports from the Kommersant newspaper suggested that the bomb was intended to harm guests enjoying the restaurant’s outdoor terrace and might have been detonated remotely by a third party, indicating that the woman carrying the bomb may have been unaware of its explosive nature.
The restaurant had closed for a private event on the day of the incident, according to its website.