A homemade bomb exploded outside an upscale Moscow restaurant during a private banquet on Saturday, killing three people—including a security guard, a customer, and a female suspect carrying the device—and injuring 21 others, according to state news agency RIA Novosti and Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee.
An improvised explosive detonated before the unidentified woman could enter the Balzi Rossi restaurant on Kudrinskaya Square, authorities reported. The blast occurred at approximately 8:10 p.m. local time near the outdoor terrace of the venue, according to the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, cited by Russian state news agency TASS.
Blast Disrupts Private Banquet at Historic Moscow Skyscraper
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The restaurant, which was closed to the general public for a private event, sits at the base of the Kudrinskaya Square Building. The location is one of Moscow’s famous Seven Sisters,
a collection of Stalinist skyscrapers constructed during the 1950s in the city’s central Presnensky district along the Garden Ring.
Guests attending a private gathering on the outdoor terrace were the apparent targets of the device, according to the Russian business daily Kommersant. The explosion triggered an immediate security response, deploying a large contingent of police, emergency personnel, and an investigative task force to the residential landmark.
Casualties and Unresolved Questions Mount After Entrance Detonation
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The explosion killed three individuals outright: the female suspect suspected of delivering the device, a security guard who intervened to stop her at the entrance, and a restaurant customer. An additional 21 people sustained injuries in the blast.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the woman or established what motivated her actions. Furthermore, officials stated that it remains unclear whether she intentionally detonated the improvised explosive device or if it went off prematurely.
Staff Reactions Amid Ongoing Emergency Response
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Despite the severity of the attack just outside the doors, restaurant staff members escaped physical harm. Balzi Rossi chef Carmine Alfieri addressed supporters on Instagram following the incident, characterizing the event as a localized disruption.
Carmine Alfieri, Balzi Rossi chef, stated that everyone was fine and that their restaurant and kitchen were in perfect condition, noting that there had just been a minor issue at the restaurant entrance.
Alfieri offered no further elaboration in his social media update as federal and municipal investigators continued their work at the scene.
Divergent Agency Reports Highlight Initial Investigation
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Different state-aligned channels captured varying facets of the immediate aftermath. While Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee provided details on the suspect and the intervention of the security guard through RIA Novosti, the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs supplied precise timing and territorial details through TASS.
Neither state agency has released additional specifics regarding the composition of the homemade device or indicated whether other suspects are currently being sought by law enforcement agencies in connection with the private event on Kudrinskaya Square.
