MOSCOW (AP) 鈥� The Russian Embassy in Rome on Monday blamed Ukraine for a deadly weekend describing it as an attempt to intimidate the Italian community in Russia.
The embassy said 鈥淜yiv terrorists鈥� wanted to 鈥渟care the Italians working in Russia and to show them that they too are in the crosshairs and could become the scoundrels’ next victims.鈥�
It said the Saturday night attack on the Balzi Rossi restaurant killed five and injured 19, adding that its Italian chef and his staff were unhurt only thanks to a Russian security guard’s 鈥渧igilance and selfless dedication to his professional duty.鈥�
There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian authorities.
The National Anti-Terrorism Committee, which coordinates various security agencies, initially reported a lower death toll in a statement issued shortly after the attack. It said the bomb killed three people, including a woman who carried the explosive device into the restaurant, a guard who stopped her, and a guest inside. It said 21 others were injured when the bomb detonated near the restaurant’s entrance.
The committee didn鈥檛 say who was the target or name the mastermind.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on Sunday described the bombing as a 鈥渂rutal terrorist act,鈥� but did not say who was responsible for the blast at the upscale restaurant, which is located on the ground floor of a high-rise apartment building that is one of seven skyscrapers in the city that date to the era of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.
The Russian Foreign Ministry reposted the embassy statement without comment. It did not respond to a request for comment or explain the higher death toll.
Several Russian media outlets claimed the bombing targeted a Russian general who was celebrating his birthday at the restaurant. Some claimed that the general was Col.-Gen. Alexander Chaiko, who led the troops that made a botched attempt to storm the Ukrainian capital in 2022 and recently was appointed the chief of Russia’s aerospace forces. The claims could not be independently verified.
The business daily Kommersant reported that the bomb, hidden in a gift box, was probably detonated remotely and the woman carrying it could have been unaware of the content. Kommersant said the bomb contained about 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of explosives and contained metal balls for lethality.
Russia blamed Ukraine for past attacks on military officials
Russian authorities have blamed Kyiv for a series of bombings and other attacks against senior military officials after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. Earlier this year, Russia鈥檚 Federal Security Service said authorities would tighten security around senior military and government officials following the attacks.
In February, Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alexeyev, 鈥媡he deputy head of the GRU 鈥宮ilitary 鈦爄ntelligence service, was , but survived. Ukraine denied its involvement.
In December, a Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, head of the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces鈥� General Staff, in southern Moscow. Ukraine refrained from comment.
In April 2025, another car bomb that Moscow blamed on Kyiv killed , a deputy head of the main operational department in Russia鈥檚 General Staff. Ukraine didn’t claim the attack but hinted at its involvement.
And in December 2024, a bomb hidden in a scooter killed , who headed the Russian military鈥檚 nuclear, biological and chemical protection forces, one of the few attacks Ukraine openly acknowledged.
Among other prominent victims of bombing attacks in Russia were , and Kyiv denied involvement in the attack on Dugina, and remained coy about the attack on Tatarsky.
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