- Bomb attack on a Moscow restaurant killed at least three people on Saturday evening.
- Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the attack as a “brutal terrorist act” and stated that victims were receiving hospital care.
- The Moscow Investigative Committee confirmed that the attack is still under investigation, with no one publicly claiming responsibility as of early afternoon Sunday.
- The restaurant was closed for a private function on Saturday evening, and state media footage showed heavily armed law-enforcement officers at the site.
- Earlier in the year, Russia's Federal Security Service announced tighter security around senior officials after assassination attempts following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but authorities have not connected Saturday's blast to those attacks or the war.
- Russia previously blamed Kyiv for a car bombing that killed Lt Gen Yaroslav Moskalik, while Ukraine's SBU security service said it organized the killing of Lt Gen Igor Kirillov with a bomb hidden in a scooter.
- Other prominent bombing victims in Russia included Daria Dugina and Vladlen Tatarsky; Kyiv denied involvement in Dugina's death and did not respond to Russian accusations over Tatarsky's death.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the explosion at the Balzi Rossi restaurant as a 'brutal terrorist act' that occurred on August 1, resulting in three fatalities and 21 injuries. The National Anti-Terrorism Committee confirmed the blast, which happened during a private function at the upscale venue.24
A woman attempted to smuggle the bomb into the restaurant but was stopped by a security guard before the device detonated. The Moscow Investigative Committee is currently investigating the incident, with no claims of responsibility reported as of August 2. Sobyanin assured the public that 'those responsible for committing this crime will certainly be found'.
Footage from the scene showed heavily armed law enforcement and emergency vehicles responding to the attack. Earlier this year, Russian authorities had tightened security around military and government officials due to a rise in assassination attempts following the invasion of Ukraine. However, no connections have been made between this attack and previous incidents or the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The restaurant was closed for a private event at the time of the explosion, and the investigation continues as the city grapples with the implications of this violent act.5
“Moscow Investigative Committee said the attack was still being investigated, and no one had publicly claimed responsibility by early afternoon Sunday. The restaurant was closed for a private function when the blast occurred, and state media footage showed heavily armed officers, ambulances, and emergency vehicles at the scene.”
