An improvised explosive device detonated Saturday at a restaurant in central Moscow, killing three people and injuring 21 others, according to Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee. The blast occurred at a restaurant on Kudrinskaya Square, with officials confirming the explosion was caused by a homemade explosive device.
The committee reported that the three fatalities included a woman carrying the device into the restaurant, a security guard who intervened, and a customer. The wounded suffered injuries of varying severity, with emergency services and forensic specialists dispatched to the scene. Images shared on Russian Telegram channels showed fire engines and ambulances outside the building.
Investigators from the Moscow Investigative Committee arrived at the site to assess the damage and begin their inquiry. The explosion has been classified as a terrorist act by Moscow’s mayor, though authorities have not publicly named any suspects or groups responsible.
Moscow has experienced multiple terrorist attacks in recent years, including several since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Ukrainian security services have been accused or claimed responsibility for multiple assassinations or attempted assassinations of Russian military officers and public figures supporting the conflict during this period. No group has yet claimed responsibility for Saturday’s bombing, and the investigation remains ongoing.