Three people were killed and 21 others injured after an explosion occurred near a cafe in central Moscow, according to Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC), as reported by Russian news agency TASS.
The Russian Interior Ministry said the blast happened at about 8.10pm local time near a cafe close to building number one at Kudrinskaya Square.
NAC said the explosion was believed to have occurred when an unidentified woman attempted to bring a homemade explosive device into the cafe but was stopped by a security guard.
The woman, the security guard and a customer were killed in the incident, while 21 others suffered injuries of varying severity.
Assistant Health Minister Alexey Kuznetsov said medical assistance was being provided to those injured, with authorities continuing to monitor their condition.
Investigators and forensic experts from Russia’s Investigative Committee have been deployed to the scene to gather evidence and determine the circumstances surrounding the explosion.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident as efforts continue to identify the motive and any parties involved.
