Russia Accuses Ukraine of Bombing Moscow Italian Restaurant

An improvised explosive device detonated near the entrance of the Balzi Rossi Italian restaurant on Kudrinskaya Square in Moscow on the evening of August 1, 2026. The blast killed five people—including the female attacker, a security guard, and a customer—and injured approximately 20 others. While initial reports cited three immediate deaths, the toll rose to five after two victims died in the hospital.

Sergei Sobyanin, the Mayor of Moscow, condemned the incident as a "brutal terrorist attack." According to the National Anti-Terrorist Committee, an unidentified woman attempted to enter the restaurant during a private function with a device concealed in a gift box, which contained roughly one kilogram of TNT and metal pellets. Security intercepted the woman before the device was detonated, possibly remotely. Some investigators are exploring whether the woman was unwitting and unaware of the package's contents.

Although Russian authorities did not initially name a target, reports later identified Colonel General Alexander Chayko, commander of Russia's aerospace forces, as the intended target during his 55th birthday celebration. Chayko reportedly escaped unharmed, but his son-in-law, Daniil Peredriy, was killed and his daughter, Maria, was seriously injured. In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation accused the administration of Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine of orchestrating the attack. Kyiv has not yet commented on the allegations.