Three people dead and 15 injured after explosion rips through Moscow restaurant 'hired out for Commander-in-Chief's birthday'

Three people have been killed and 15 others injured after an explosion ripped through a restaurant in Moscow.

The explosion struck one of central Moscow's most prominent locations in Kudrinskaya Square shortly after 8pm local time, sending emergency services rushing to the scene, according to Russia's Interior Ministry as reported by the state news agency TASS.

The cause of the explosion has not yet been established, but the agency quoted investigators as saying a woman carrying a homemade explosive device tried to enter the restaurant but was stopped by a security guard.

Both the security guard and the woman are reported to have died in the blast.

The blast occurred near an outdoor seating area at Building 1 on the square, the ministry confirmed.

At the time of the explosion, the restaurant had been shut to the public for a private banquet, a detail corroborated by the venue's own website.

Reports claim that the event in question was the birthday party of Colonel General Aleksandr Chaiko, Commander-in-Chief of Russia's Aerospace Forces.

The restaurant sits at the base of the Kudrinskaya Square building, one of Moscow's iconic "Seven Sisters" — a collection of imposing Stalinist skyscrapers erected during the 1950s.

The residential tower occupies a prominent position along the Garden Ring road in the capital's Presnensky district.

Chef Carmine Alfieri took to Instagram after the blast to thank well-wishers and reassure the public.

"We're all fine, and our restaurant and kitchen are in perfect condition; there was just a minor issue at the restaurant entrance," he said, without offering further detail.

The investigation into what caused the explosion is ongoing.

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This comes less than two months after Ukraine carried out one of the biggest attacks on Russia since the start of the war, blowing the roof off an oil refinery and triggering chaos at the nation's busiest airport.

Towering plumes of dark smoke rose above southern Moscow on June 18, as flames engulfed the targeted facility in the Kapotnya district, with reports of "oil rain" over the Russian capital.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed on Telegram "several drones managed to reach the MNPZ (Moscow Oil Refinery)", with no details on the extent of the damage.

Sheremetyevo Airport was forced to relocate passengers to secure areas during the bombardment, with all Moscow airports remaining closed for several hours, causing severe flight disruptions.

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