Russian Embassy in Rome accuses Ukraine of deadly restaurant bombing in Moscow — SkimNews
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- The Russian Embassy in Rome blamed "Kyiv terrorists" for the Saturday night bombing at the upscale Balzi Rossi restaurant in Moscow, saying the attack killed five and injured 19 and was meant to scare Italians in Russia.
- The National Anti-Terrorism Committee initially reported a lower toll — three killed and 21 wounded — saying the bomb was carried in by a woman who detonated it near the restaurant's entrance in a Stalin-era high-rise.
- Kommersant reported the bomb was hidden in a gift box, contained roughly one kilogram of explosives packed with metal balls, and was likely remotely detonated, with the carrier potentially unaware of the contents.
- Several Russian media outlets claimed the bombing targeted Col.-Gen. Alexander Chaiko, recently appointed chief of Russia's aerospace forces, who they said was celebrating his birthday at the restaurant — claims that could not be independently verified.
- Ukraine had no immediate comment on the Balzi Rossi attack, continuing its pattern of denying or staying silent on bombings of Russian military officials, though it openly claimed the December 2024 scooter-bomb killing of Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov.
- Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called the blast a "brutal terrorist act" on Sunday but did not assign blame, while the Russian Foreign Ministry reposted the embassy's statement without comment.
Why it matters: The Balzi Rossi attack continues a documented pattern of bombings and shootings targeting senior Russian military figures since the February 2022 invasion, with Moscow blaming Kyiv for at least four such strikes in roughly 16 months. The embassy's choice to deliver the accusation from Rome and explicitly invoke Italians working in Russia signals Moscow is pitching this not just to Kyiv but to an Italian diplomatic audience.
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