Moscow luxury restaurant bombing kills 5, Russia blames Ukraine

Published Aug 4, 01:17 PM UTC

On August 1, 2026, a bomb exploded at the luxury Balzi Rossi restaurant in central Moscow during a birthday party for General Aleksandr Chaiko, commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces. The attack killed five people, including the female bomber, and injured six others. The bomb, equivalent to 1 kg of TNT packed with shrapnel, was detonated remotely after security guards became suspicious of a gift box. General Chaiko survived. The incident has ignited fury among pro-war Russian bloggers, who question why elites celebrate in luxury while soldiers die at the front, and why security failed in the capital. Moscow blamed Ukraine for the attack. Chaiko, a senior commander with a history of involvement in Syria and the invasion of Ukraine, was recently appointed to oversee Russia's satellite and air defense systems.