Moscow restaurant blast kills three and injures 21 at Balzi Rossi
A homemade explosive detonated at Balzi Rossi on Kudrinskaya Square, killing three people and injuring 21 in what authorities have opened as a terrorism probe.
The explosion, which occurred at 7:55 p.m. in central Moscow, claimed the lives of a security guard who intercepted a suspected bomber, the woman believed to have carried the device, and one restaurant patron. Twenty-one other people were reported injured, and emergency services cordoned off the area amid a heavy response.
Casualties and injuries
The National Anti-Terrorism Committee said three people died as a result of the blast and that 21 others sustained injuries of varying severity. Local media described several victims being treated at the scene before being taken to nearby hospitals.
Officials identified one of the deceased as a security guard who prevented an unknown woman, suspected of trying to bring an explosive into the venue, from entering. The woman and a restaurant patron were also among those killed, according to the committee’s statement.
Venue and location details
Balzi Rossi is an upscale restaurant located on Kudrinskaya Square, just inside Moscow’s Garden Ring, housed in a notable Stalin-era skyscraper. The restaurant’s website indicated the venue had been closed on Aug. 1 for a private event, a detail noted by authorities and the press.
The central location underscored the potential for wider impact, given the density of nightlife and foot traffic in the area. Photographs and video from local outlets showed a cordoned perimeter and multiple ambulances parked near the building.
Security guard’s intervention
According to the National Anti-Terrorism Committee, the security guard’s actions were pivotal in stopping the suspect from entering the main dining area. The device detonated during the attempted entry, killing the woman and the guard, and fatally wounding another patron.
Investigators are treating the guard’s intervention as a decisive factor that likely prevented broader casualties inside the restaurant. Authorities have not released the guard’s identity pending notification of next of kin and further inquiries.
Official investigation and classification
Russia’s Investigative Committee, the body responsible for major criminal probes, has opened a terrorism investigation into the incident. Officials have described the device as improvised and said inquiries will focus on the origin, motives, and any accomplices tied to the attack.
Investigators are expected to examine security footage, forensic evidence recovered from the scene, and communications that might shed light on how the device was constructed and whether the suspect acted alone. No claims of responsibility had been reported in the immediate aftermath.
Statements from the restaurant and staff
Balzi Rossi’s chef, Carmine Alfieri, posted on Instagram after the blast asserting that the restaurant and its kitchen were intact, but the message was later removed. The deleted post said staff were safe, and the chef sought to counter early speculation that the incident resulted from a gas leak.
Restaurant representatives had not issued an extended public statement at the time authorities released details of the probe. The venue’s prior notice of a private booking for Aug. 1 has become part of the inquiry into the number of expected patrons and staff present when the device detonated.
Emergency response and eyewitness accounts
Ambulances and first responders arrived promptly and established a safety perimeter, with emergency personnel treating injured people at the scene before transport. Local media footage showed responders coordinating among police and medical teams as they managed the cordon.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing a single, powerful blast and seeing officers secure the nearby streets. City authorities have not announced any immediate changes to wider public safety measures, but investigators warned the public to expect continued police activity in the area.
The Investigative Committee and other law enforcement agencies continue to examine evidence and interview witnesses as part of the terrorism probe, and the investigation is ongoing.
