Three dead, up to 20 injured in explosion at Moscow's Balzi Rossi restaurant; gas leak suspected
An explosion near an outdoor café on Kudrinskaya Square in central Moscow killed at least three people and injured between 15 and 20 others on Saturday evening. Authorities are investigating the cause, with unconfirmed reports pointing to a gas leak.
What happened
On Saturday evening, an explosion occurred near an outdoor café at 1 Kudrinskaya Square in central Moscow. The blast happened around 20:10 local time (19:10 CET), according to a statement from the Moscow police. The explosion killed at least three people and injured between 15 and 20 others, with varying degrees of severity.
According to our information, today around 20:10, near the outdoor café, an explosion occurred, resulting in three dead and fifteen injured of varying severity.
Casualties and response
Emergency services and police quickly arrived at the scene. The area around Kudrinskaya Square was cordoned off, and traffic was temporarily blocked. Entrances to the nearby Barrikadnaja metro station were closed. The injured received medical assistance, though authorities have not released details on their conditions. The Russian state news agencies TASS and Ria Novosti reported the casualty figures, citing officials from the Interior Ministry. Independent outlet Meduza put the number of injured at around 20, while Ria Novosti later cited 17 injured in a separate update.
The venue and event
The explosion took place at Balzi Rossi, an Italian restaurant located on the ground floor of a Stalinist-era skyscraper near the U.S. embassy. The restaurant's website indicated it was closed that day for a private banquet. Unconfirmed reports on Telegram channels and Russian media suggested the event was either a wedding or a birthday celebration. An eyewitness told the independent news outlet ASTRA that a general's birthday party was underway. Russian journalist speculation, cited by Rzeczpospolita, named Colonel General Alexander Chaiko of the Russian Armed Forces as the possible guest of honour. Black army vehicles were reportedly seen in the vicinity, according to Aktuálně.cz.
Cause under investigation
Authorities have not officially determined the cause of the explosion. The Telegram channel Basa, known for its ties to security forces, reported a gas explosion in one of the café's kitchens. Pro-Kremlin newspaper Mash also cited initial findings pointing to a gas leak. However, users on local chat groups noted that the building does not have a gas supply, casting doubt on that explanation. Police said an investigation is ongoing, and no formal conclusions have been announced.
