At least three people have been killed after an improvised explosive device went off at an Italian restaurant in central Moscow on Saturday night.
The explosion occurred around 8:00 p.m. local time (5:00 p.m. GMT) at Kudrinskaya Square, close to the city centre, according to reports.
The National Anti-Terrorist Committee said a woman carrying the explosive device attempted to gain entry into the restaurant but was stopped by a security guard. The device later detonated, killing the woman, the guard, and a guest who was attending a private event at the Balzi Rossi restaurant.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the incident as a “cruel act of terror” that resulted in the loss of lives.
Sobyanin said security agencies had launched investigations to determine the circumstances surrounding the blast and identify those responsible.
The explosion comes amid ongoing tensions linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said authorities would increase security measures for senior military officials following a series of assassination attempts and attacks.
Russian officials have not accused Ukraine of involvement in the Moscow explosion. However, Kyiv has previously carried out drone attacks on targets inside Russia, including an earlier strike on an apartment building in the city of Engels.