Russia has blamed Ukraine for the explosion near the Balzi Rossi restaurant in central Moscow, which killed five people and injured 19 others. According to Russian media reports, the possible target of the attack may have been Colonel General Alexander Chaiko, commander of Russia’s Aerospace Forces.
The Guardian reported this.
The explosion occurred on Saturday evening near the entrance to an Italian restaurant in a Stalin-era skyscraper on Kudrinskaya Square. According to Russian prosecutors, an unidentified woman carrying an improvised explosive device attempted to enter the establishment but was stopped by a security guard.
Moments later, the device exploded. Russian authorities did not name the likely target of the attack or disclose the names of those killed.
Pro-Kremlin military bloggers and several independent Russian media outlets reported that Chaiko was at the restaurant for a private banquet celebrating his 55th birthday. Footage that appeared online after the explosion showed a stage bearing the words “Alexander 55.”
The VChK-OGPU Telegram channel claims that Chaiko was not injured. At the same time, his daughter Maria was reportedly seriously wounded, while her husband, Daniil Peredriy, was killed.
According to the channel, they were on the restaurant’s terrace when the explosion occurred. Another reported victim was an employee of Russia’s Federal Protective Service.
The Kommersant newspaper reported that the woman carrying the explosive device may not have known about the bomb. Investigators believe that another person may have detonated the device remotely.
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs blamed Kyiv for the attack.
The Russian Embassy in Italy accused Ukraine of organizing the explosion. It claimed that the blast at the Moscow restaurant was an attempt to intimidate Italians.
“The bloody tentacles of Zelenskyy’s terrorist gang have reached the Balzi Rossi Italian restaurant in Moscow. Only thanks to the vigilance and selfless devotion to professional duty of a Russian security service officer were the chef from Naples, K. Alfieri, and members of his team unharmed,” the embassy said in a statement.
At the same time, it confirmed that five people were killed and 19 restaurant visitors were seriously injured.
