Moscow mayor condemns restaurant bombing after explosion kills 3 and injures 21

An explosion at an upscale restaurant in Moscow killed three people and injured 21 others on Saturday, the Moscow mayor’s office said, prompting an official counterterrorism-related response and a vow to identify and arrest those behind the attack.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin called the incident a “brutal terrorist act,” according to Fox News. He said investigators would work to locate those responsible and bring them to justice, as emergency responders treated the wounded and secured the scene.

The report said the blast was caused by a body-worn bomb detonated inside the restaurant. The use of a concealed explosive device and the location at a high-end venue raised the stakes for public safety officials, who said the incident was treated as a terrorist act rather than a criminal act with a single motive.

Emergency crews transported the injured for medical care, while police cordoned off the area around the restaurant as investigators collected evidence. The mayor’s remarks emphasized the city’s expectation that authorities would quickly determine how the attacker got inside and what networks, if any, supported the operation.

The incident follows a broader period of heightened security scrutiny in Russia after previous attacks in public spaces, with officials periodically warning of threats and urging vigilance. In this case, the decision to characterize the bombing as terrorism indicated that investigators were expected to focus on organizational links and planning, not only on the attacker’s identity.

Officials did not provide additional details in the Fox report about the names of the dead or the ages or conditions of the injured. The Moscow authorities’ statement indicated the investigation would continue, including efforts to trace the perpetrator’s movements and access to the venue.

As authorities carry out forensic work and interviews, the immediate next steps will likely include expanding the crime scene perimeter, reviewing surveillance footage, and coordinating with federal security bodies that handle terrorism cases, according to the standard process following attacks of this type.