At least three people were killed and 21 injured in a blast at an Italian restaurant in central Moscow on Saturday evening, according to Russian state media and later reporting from the scene. The explosion happened at around 20:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Kudrinskaya Square near the city centre.
What happened at the scene?
Tass quoted investigators as saying a woman carrying a homemade explosive device tried to enter the restaurant but was stopped by a security guard. Both died in the blast.
Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee said the woman had been carrying an improvised explosive device. Russian news outlets suggested she may have been a courier trying to deliver a package to one of the guests at a private function and may not have known the parcel's contents. That account has not been officially confirmed.
Witnesses were quoted on Telegram as saying the venue was hosting a private function, adding that they saw people being brought out covered in blood after the explosion.
There have also been unconfirmed reports that a senior Russian military commander was among the guests, but officials have not confirmed the guest list or who was attending the dinner.
What was left at the restaurant?
When BBC Russia editor Steve Rosenberg visited the scene, the police cordon had been lifted outside the Balzi Rossi Italian restaurant and investigators had left. He said there were visible signs of the explosion, including a shattered window and pock-marked walls.
On Saturday night the area had been surrounded by heavily armed police, with ambulances and emergency service vehicles parked outside. Video released by Russia's RIA news agency also showed heavily armed law enforcement officers at the scene, which had been closed off to the public.
How have officials and locals responded?
The Kremlin had not commented by Sunday, but the Russian Embassy in Italy blamed the attack on Ukraine in a statement posted on Sunday. It said:
It is clear that when planning a terrorist attack on one of the best Italian restaurants in Moscow, the Kyiv terrorists wanted to scare Italians working in Russia…
There was no official identification of a possible military target.
People on Kudrinskaya Square told BBC that many believed the blast was linked to the war in Ukraine. One resident, Alexandra, said she had been walking her dog nearby when it happened.
