EXPLOSION NEAR MOSCOW CAFE KILLS THREE, INJURES 15

An explosion near a cafe in Moscow killed at least three people and wounded 15 others on Saturday evening, according to police and the Russian Interior Ministry. The blast occurred at approximately 8:10pm near Building 1 on Kudrinskaya Square in the city centre. Moscow police told state news agency RIA Novosti that those injured were receiving medical care of varying degrees of seriousness. Police, firefighters and emergency services were deployed to the scene, and investigators began examining the site.

The Italian cafe-restaurant Balzi Rossi operates at the location. According to reports on Russian Telegram channels, the explosion was suspected to have been caused by a gas leak in the cafe's kitchens, though authorities did not confirm this account. The Russian Interior Ministry said in a statement that the cause of the explosion remained under investigation. Traffic near Kudrinskaya Square was temporarily blocked, and the entrances to the nearby Barrikadnaya metro station were closed.

Forensic specialists and investigators remained on site to establish what caused the blast. Russian media reported that authorities had closed access to the immediate area as the investigation continued. The ministry said further information would be released as it became available.