- Five people were killed and 19 others injured when the explosion occurred near the entrance of an Italian restaurant in Kudrinskaya Square on Saturday.
- Russian prosecutors said an unidentified woman carrying an improvised explosive device had attempted to enter the restaurant but was stopped by a security guard.
- The device detonated moments later, killing five people and injuring 19 others.
- In a statement on Sunday, Russia's foreign ministry accused Kyiv of carrying out the attack, saying: 'The bloody tentacles of [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy’s terrorist gang have reached the Balzi Rossi Italian restaurant in Moscow.'
- Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called the bombing a 'brutal terrorist act.'
- On Monday, the Russian Embassy in Rome blamed Ukraine for the bombing, describing it as an attempt to intimidate the Italian community in Russia.
- Pro-Kremlin bloggers and some Russian media suggested the blast may have targeted Col Gen Alexander Chaiko, who was reportedly attending a private banquet at the restaurant.
- The National Anti-Terrorism Committee initially reported a lower death count in a statement issued shortly after the attack.
- The committee reported that the bomb killed three people, including a woman who carried the explosive device into the restaurant, a guard who stopped her, and a guest inside.
- The Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that investigators believed the woman carrying the explosive device may not have known she was transporting a bomb.
- Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine’s intelligence agencies have targeted dozens of senior Russian military officers and Russia-installed officials, accusing them of involvement in war crimes.
- Ukrainian intelligence services have previously employed a range of tactics, relying on both willing saboteurs and unwitting civilians to carry out bombings.
Five people were killed and 19 injured in a bombing at the Balzi Rossi restaurant in Moscow, with Russian authorities attributing the attack to Ukraine. The explosion occurred on Saturday evening, reportedly targeting Col Gen Alexander Chaiko, a senior military commander celebrating his birthday.17
The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the incident, stating, “The bloody tentacles of [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy’s terrorist gang have reached the Balzi Rossi Italian restaurant in Moscow.” An unidentified woman carrying an improvised explosive device was stopped by a security guard before the device detonated, killing five and injuring 19 others.2
Pro-Kremlin sources suggest the attack may have aimed at Chaiko, who escaped unharmed, although his daughter was seriously injured and her husband killed. The bomb, hidden in a gift box, was likely detonated remotely, according to reports from Russian media.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin labeled the bombing a “brutal terrorist act,” while the Russian Embassy in Rome claimed it was an attempt to intimidate the Italian community in Russia. The embassy stated that “Kyiv terrorists” aimed to scare Italians working in Russia.5
Since the onset of the Ukraine conflict, Ukrainian intelligence has targeted senior Russian military officials, successfully killing several generals. However, the Kremlin's claims regarding the bombing's responsibility remain unverified, with Kyiv yet to comment on the incident.
“Pro-Kremlin bloggers said the blast may have been aimed at Col Gen Alexander Chaiko during his 55th birthday banquet; the Telegram channel VChK-OGPU said he escaped unharmed while his daughter Maria was injured and her husband killed. Kommersant said the bomb, hidden in a gift box, held 1kg of explosives and was likely detonated remotely.”
The Guardian
