Overview
- An explosion struck near a summer cafe at Building 1 on Kudrinskaya Square in central Moscow on Saturday evening at about 8:10 p.m., according to authorities.
- Moscow police and the Interior Ministry have confirmed at least three people were killed and 15 were injured, and hospitals are treating the wounded while the official death toll may be updated.
- Police and emergency responders secured the scene and a forensic team from the Ministry of Internal Affairs was reported to be working at the site.
- Early accounts pointed to a possible kitchen gas blast but investigators have opened a formal probe and are also examining whether the detonation could have been deliberate.
- The square lies just over a mile from the Kremlin, giving the incident heightened security interest, and officials say they will provide further details as the inquiry and forensic work continue.