A secret funeral was held for Lt-Gen Igor Yerusalimov, a senior Russian military commander, who was killed in a suspected assassination bombing at a Moscow restaurant. Yerusalimov, 53, died Saturday at the Balzi Rossi Italian restaurant in Kudrinskaya Square, an upscale venue located about a mile from the Kremlin.
The blast occurred during a birthday celebration for Col-Gen Alexander Chayko, head of the Russian Aerospace Forces. Sources indicate a female courier delivered a gift that detonated, killing Yerusalimov, the courier, and three others. Nineteen people were injured in the explosion.
Chayko reportedly escaped unharmed, but his daughter, Maria, 25, sustained a severe traumatic brain injury. Her husband, Daniil Peredriy, 27, who was a former professional ice hockey player, died from his injuries.
Yerusalimov's funeral took place at Troekurovskoye cemetery and was reportedly guarded by security officials. He had been promoted twice by Russian President Vladimir Putin and previously served as the first deputy chief of staff of the Moscow Military District.
The device, described as a homemade bomb, was reportedly packed with metal balls and had an explosive force equivalent to 1 kilogram of TNT. Images from the scene showed emergency services and heavily armed police.
Chayko, the birthday celebrant, has been previously designated a "war criminal" by Ukraine in June. He is known for his role in Russian aerial bombardments and commanded Russian forces during the initial invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a period that included alleged atrocities in Bucha. 
