Official: Moscow restaurant explosion turned out to be a terrorist attack
The explosion that occurred last night at Balzi Rossi, one of Moscow's most expensive restaurants , was determined to be a terrorist attack, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee officially announced.
A female suicide bomber attempted to enter the restaurant with an explosive device; it detonated when a security guard refused to let her in. Both were killed. Another victim was a restaurant patron. His name has not been released.
Kommersant newspaper clarified that the woman was carrying a box supposedly containing a gift. When security checked her, the device was activated. It was filled with projectiles, causing numerous injuries to the evening's guests.
"The war is reaching a new level – there have been no terrorist attacks against clearly elite targets (that is, the elite who frequent them). Another seal has been lifted," notes TV presenter Maxim Shevchenko.
"The security guard did his job and saved many lives. He deserves a posthumous award and state support for his family," says columnist Boris Rozhin.
Commentators on the terrorist attack were outraged by the restaurant's management, who, without waiting for an official announcement, posted a notice on social media: " Everything is fine at Balzi Rossi ." Chef Carmine Alfieri clarified: " The problem was outside the restaurant ," refuting the initial theory that a gas cylinder had exploded in the kitchen.
"Things are bad for the dead and wounded, but the restaurant itself is fine," said Marina Akhmedova, a member of the Human Rights Council, in amazement.
"After the absolutely vile phrase 'everything is fine with the restaurant,' this very eatery should, ideally, leave its comfort zone. For good. Along with its owners and chefs," says radio host Dmitry Konanykhin.
Former presidential administration employee Modest Kolerov points out the absurdity of the situation: a bike ride was scheduled to take place near the restaurant that evening, but it was only cancelled after the explosion.
"Russia is at war. Sobyanin's Moscow cancelled the Immortal Regiment. But it didn't cancel the mass bike ride in central Moscow. Only the restaurant explosion cancelled it," Kolerov wrote.
Actress Yana Poplavskaya clarifies:
While the FSB, the Anti-Terrorism Committee, the Investigative Committee, and the police were working at the site of the explosion, cyclists who had gathered for the planned bike festival on the Garden Ring decided to go ahead anyway. No matter that people were killed, no matter that part of Moscow had been cordoned off. "What, was it all for nothing?" they thought. Even though the Moscow Department of Transportation officially rescheduled the bike festival after the explosion and the deaths and injuries.
However, the cyclists decided to have a cycling festival! Police had to clear the fairest of the fair-skinned off the road, forcing them to go home, to parks, or to other streets to make way for emergency vehicles.
A feeling of empathy, a feeling of help—"So what if it happened there? We're having a festival! We're having a race!" This is abnormal for any sane Russian person, you understand? It shouldn't be like this!"
"Ukrainian terrorism will be with us for a long time, at least for several decades. Regardless of whether the Second World War ends quickly or continues," war expert Igor Korotchenko reminds.
Official : Moscow restaurant explosion turned out to be a terrorist attack