Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Russian war bloggers are blaming Ukraine, but they have not provided any evidence.
Just before 8 p.m. on Saturday, a sudden blast rocked Kudrinskaya Square in Moscow.
According to Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee, an unidentified woman carrying a homemade bomb tried to enter the Italian restaurant Balzi Rossi, Reuters reports.
A security guard stopped her at the door, and the device exploded moments later.
Three deaths instantly
Officials confirmed that the woman, the guard, and a customer died instantly. Heavily armed police officers quickly sealed off the surrounding area.
The casualty count may be higher. News station REN TV cited a source stating two wounded victims died in hospital, bringing the death toll to five. Official sources have not confirmed those deaths, though six people remain in serious condition.
The venue was closed for a private event that evening. On Sunday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin offered condolences to the families, promising to punish those responsible. “A brutal terrorist attack was carried out in Moscow yesterday,” Sobyanin said.
Deeply puzzled
Authorities have not named any suspects. Still, unverified social media posts claimed a high-ranking military commander was the true target and escaped unharmed.
Moscow had already been on edge. More than four years into the war with Ukraine, Russian officials promised enhanced protection for senior officers following several attempted killings, which they blamed on Kyiv.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the bombing was quickly linked to the war in Ukraine, with Russian war bloggers blaming Kyiv for being responsible. Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied any involvement.
Meanwhile, the newspaper Kommersant reported that the woman might not have known she held a bomb, suggesting someone detonated it remotely.
Familiar tactics
Saturday’s explosion recalled a high-profile bombing in 2023. Pro-war Russian blogger Vladlen Tatarsky died after receiving a small statuette containing hidden explosives.
Russian courts jailed Darya Trepova for 27 years over the attack. She insisted she was only following instructions from a man in Ukraine who wired her funds.
