Woman-borne bomb kills three outside Moscow restaurant

A homemade bomb carried by a woman exploded outside an upscale restaurant in central Moscow, killing three people and injuring at least 21 others as investigators examined whether the venue or guests attending a private gathering were deliberately targeted.

The blast struck near the entrance of Balzi Rossi, an Italian restaurant on Kudrinskaya Square, shortly before 8 pm on Saturday. The restaurant occupies part of a Stalin-era skyscraper in a heavily frequented district close to Moscow’s commercial and government centre.

The dead included the woman carrying the explosive device, a restaurant security guard and a customer. Several of those wounded were taken to hospital with injuries of varying severity, while emergency teams treated others at the scene.

The woman approached the restaurant while a private event was under way but was stopped by the security guard before she could enter. The device detonated during the confrontation near the entrance, limiting the blast’s reach inside the crowded premises but exposing people gathered outside and close to the doorway.

Investigators believe the improvised explosive device may have been concealed inside an item the woman was carrying. Reports that it had been disguised as a gift and packed with metal fragments were being examined, though authorities had not publicly confirmed the device’s full construction or how it was detonated.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the explosion as a terrorist act and said the authorities would pursue those responsible. The National Anti-Terrorism Committee and Moscow’s Investigative Committee opened inquiries, while police and security personnel sealed off the surrounding streets.

No organisation had claimed responsibility by Monday, and officials had not identified the woman or disclosed whether she knowingly carried the bomb. Investigators were analysing surveillance footage, telephone records and the movements of people attending the gathering.

The restaurant was hosting a closed function when the explosion occurred. Unverified accounts circulated online suggesting that senior military personnel or relatives of prominent officials may have been among the guests. Authorities had not confirmed the identity of the event’s organiser or any possible intended target.

The lack of an immediate official explanation prompted competing theories about whether the woman was a suicide attacker, a recruited operative or an unwitting courier. Security investigators have previously warned that criminal and intelligence networks may use intermediaries who are unaware that packages entrusted to them contain explosives.

The restaurant’s location added to the significance of the attack. Kudrinskaya Square lies within central Moscow and is dominated by one of the seven monumental skyscrapers built under Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. The surrounding neighbourhood contains luxury residences, diplomatic facilities, offices and popular dining venues.

Images from the area showed ambulances, fire engines and armed officers surrounding the building. Windows near the entrance were damaged, and debris was scattered across the pavement as forensic teams inspected the site. Traffic restrictions remained in place while specialists searched for additional devices.

The bombing is likely to intensify security measures at Moscow restaurants, hotels and private venues hosting political, military or business figures. Guards at high-profile establishments have increasingly been required to screen bags, verify guest lists and monitor deliveries amid fears of targeted attacks.

Russia has faced a series of bombings and assassinations involving military officers, nationalist commentators and figures associated with the conflict in Ukraine. Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia’s nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces, was killed by a bomb concealed in an electric scooter outside a Moscow apartment building in December 2024.

Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik was killed by a car bomb near Moscow in April 2025. Earlier attacks included the 2022 car bombing that killed political commentator Darya Dugina and the 2023 café explosion in St Petersburg that killed military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky.

Moscow has blamed Ukraine for several such operations, while Kyiv has denied involvement in some cases and declined to comment on others. No evidence linking Ukraine or any foreign government to the restaurant bombing had been released.