A homemade bomb tore through an upscale Moscow restaurant on Saturday evening, killing at least three people and wounding 21 others in what Russian authorities describe as a targeted assassination attempt against a senior military commander linked to atrocities in Ukraine.
The explosion occurred at the Balzi Rossi restaurant on Barrikadnaya Street in central Moscow during a private birthday banquet for Colonel-General Aleksandr Chayko. Russian state media reported that Chayko, who commanded Russian forces on the ground at the start of the full-scale invasion and led troops during the Bucha massacre, survived the attack.
Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee confirmed the blast and launched a criminal investigation into what it characterized as a terrorist act. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed the casualties and said emergency services responded to the scene within minutes of the explosion.
The Russian Embassy in Rome subsequently blamed Ukraine for orchestrating the bombing, calling it part of what it described as Kyiv’s “terrorist plague spreading across Europe.” The embassy claimed the attack was designed to intimidate the Italian community in Russia, though officials offered no evidence to support the attribution.
General Chayko held several senior positions during the war in Ukraine, including serving as the most senior Russian military officer on the ground when Russian troops entered Bucha in the early weeks of the invasion. The suburb became synonymous with war crimes after mass graves and evidence of civilian executions were discovered following Russia’s withdrawal.
Ukrainian officials have not officially commented on the blast. The attack marks one of the most significant security incidents in Moscow since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, raising questions about vulnerabilities in Russia’s domestic security apparatus despite heavy surveillance in the capital.
Sources: Meduza, The Guardian, Hungarian Conservative
Author: Ukraine Desk
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