Bomb explodes outside upscale Moscow restaurant, killing three

A homemade explosive device went off outside an upscale restaurant in central Moscow on Saturday, killing three people and injuring 21 others, Russian state officials said. The blast occurred on Kudrinskaya Square, a busy area near the city center.

Authorities said a woman allegedly carrying the device was stopped by a security guard before the explosion, though officials have not yet identified a motive or said whether the attack was targeted. Russia's national anti-terrorism committee has classified the incident as a bombing and opened an investigation.

The explosion adds to a string of security incidents inside Russia amid the ongoing war with Ukraine, and it is likely to intensify scrutiny of security measures at public venues in the capital.