Details of Moscow blast emerge: 3 dead and 15 injured, suspected assassination attempt on Russian general on his birthday

A powerful explosion at a restaurant in central Moscow is suspected to have targeted Russian General Alexander Chaiko, who was celebrating his birthday.

According to Russian media reports, the 55-year-old was at the “Balzi Rossi” restaurant near the Kremlin, in the company of politicians, high-ranking military officials, and members of Russian intelligence.

The incident caused the death of five people. Among the victims was 27-year-old Daniil Perendry, the general’s son-in-law and a former professional ice hockey player.

General Alexander Chaiko’s daughter, 25-year-old Maria Perendry, suffered severe head injuries. In total, authorities reported 19 people injured from the explosion.

Initial suspicions of investigators are that the improvised explosive device was brought into the restaurant by a woman, who also died at the scene. According to preliminary data, the bomb may have contained metal parts, causing multiple injuries to those nearby. Russian authorities are working to identify the perpetrators and determine the motive.

Chaiko led Russian forces in the early stages of the war in Ukraine. In 2022, Ukraine held him responsible for Russian operations in the Bucha area, where hundreds of civilian casualties were reported during the Russian occupation.

Authorities in Kyiv have described the general as a “war criminal,” while Moscow has repeatedly dismissed accusations of crimes against civilians.

The investigation into the explosion is ongoing, and so far no official confirmation has been made about the perpetrators or whether the attack was linked to the war in Ukraine.