Three people were killed and 21 others injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast near a luxury restaurant in central Moscow, Russia. Among the dead is a woman, reportedly of Ukrainian origin, who according to initial reports may have been carrying the explosive device without knowing its contents. The explosion occurred at one of the seven iconic Stalin-era skyscrapers on Kudrinskaya Square.
Just before 8 p.m., the unidentified woman attempted to enter the Balzi Rossi restaurant but was stopped by a security guard, according to state news agency RIA. The security guard and a customer were killed in the explosion that followed. The bomb is reported to have been equivalent to approximately 1 kilogram of TNT and contained metal shrapnel.
Moscow, Russia ❗
💥🔥UPD: According to ‘Kommersant’, the explosion at the Balzi Rossi restaurant targeted guests at a private event on the terrace. Sources claim a security guard stopped a woman carrying a box described as a gift and inspected the package, which allegedly… https://t.co/3FNlTIulzs pic.twitter.com/QLvkgmpKnT— LX (@LXSummer1) August 1, 2026
Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee has taken over the investigation, while Russian media report that Colonel General Aleksandr Chaiko, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, was celebrating his birthday at the restaurant at the time of the blast.
⚠️ BREAKING: EXPLOSION AT MOSCOW RESTAURANT LINKED TO TOP RUSSIAN GENERAL’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
Russian media report that Colonel General Aleksandr Chaiko, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, was celebrating his birthday at Moscow’s Balzi Rossi restaurant, where… https://t.co/cQTwBv2KjF pic.twitter.com/7v7XMhzhnw
— Vortex Report (@VortexReportX) August 1, 2026
Several of the injured remain in critical condition. The newspaper Kommersant, citing its own sources, reports that the bomb was detonated remotely with the aim of maiming and killing guests who were enjoying the restaurant’s outdoor summer terrace.
The restaurant’s website states that the venue had been closed for a private event.
