An explosion occurred near a summer cafe on Kudrinsky Square in downtown Moscow, killing three people and injuring 15, the Moscow Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported, quoted by TASS.
"Employees of the Moscow Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia are working at the scene of the incident in the Kudrinsky Square area. "According to available information, today at around 8:10 p.m. an explosion occurred near a summer cafe, as a result of which three people died and 15 were injured with varying degrees of severity," the press service of the administration said.
The investigative and operational group of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and officers of the operational services are currently working at the scene, she added.
At the time of the incident, the Italian luxury restaurant Balzi Rossi was closed to the general public due to a private banquet. Claims immediately appeared on Russian social networks and popular Telegram channels (such as Baza and Mash) that the facility had been rented for a lavish celebration for a senior military general. According to sources of the independent media outlet Meduza (meduza.io), about 50 guests were present at the establishment. Local channels report that among the injured are both visitors to the event and four restaurant staff.
Dozens of fire, rescue and ambulance teams were immediately dispatched to the scene of the tragedy. The area around Kudrinskaya Square has been completely cordoned off, and traffic from the Barrikadnaya metro station to Novinsky Boulevard has been suspended. Due to the emergency situation, the authorities urgently canceled the start of the traditional Night Cycling Festival, which was supposed to pass along the Sadovoye Koltso.
The official investigation into the causes of the explosion is still in its early stages. According to initial information shared by law enforcement agencies with the "Interfax" agency, the leading technical version is the detonation of gas equipment or a gas cylinder in the kitchen block of the facility. However, investigators are also checking the version of an explosion in the restaurant's guest area. An investigative and operational group of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the city of Moscow is working on site.