At least three killed in explosion near cafe in Russia’s Moscow

More than 15 people also ​injured ‌in the blast in Kudrinskaya Square, authorities say.

An explosion near a cafe in the Russian capital has killed at least three people and wounded more than a dozen, authorities say.

The explosion took place near a summer terrace located on the ground floor ‌of one of Moscow’s seven Stalin-era skyscrapers at Kudrinksaya Square on Saturday, according to police.

In a statement on the Russian social media platform Max, the Interior Ministry said the blast occurred at about 8pm (17:00GMT).

Moscow police told state news agency Ria Novosti that the blast caused “three deaths and 15 injured, of varying degrees of seriousness”. The injured were receiving medical care.

Armed security forces sealed off access to the Balzi Rossi restaurant, near which the blast occurred, Russian media said.

There were initial local media reports that said the explosion may have ⁠been caused by a gas canister detonating.

However, Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee later told state news agency Tass that the blast was caused by a homemade improvised explosive device.

The committee said those killed were a security guard who tried to stop a woman suspected of attempting to bring the explosive device into the restaurant, the woman herself and a restaurant customer. This could not be independently verified.

Earlier, the Telegram monitoring channel ASTRA, citing witnesses, reported that a birthday celebration for a general was taking place near where the explosion occurred. The report could not be independently verified, and authorities have not confirmed the claim.

Police, firefighters and emergency services were deployed to the scene, while authorities said the cause of the explosion was under investigation.

Traffic near the square was temporarily blocked, Russian media reported, and the entrances to the Barrikadnaya metro station closed.