A secret funeral was held for Lieutenant General Igor Yerusalimov, a high-ranking Russian military commander, who was killed in a bomb blast at a Moscow restaurant. The explosion occurred Saturday at the Balzi Rossi Italian restaurant in Kudrinskaya Square, an area less than two miles from the Kremlin.
Yerusalimov, 53, was attending a 55th birthday celebration for Colonel General Alexander Chayko, the head of Russia's Aerospace Forces, when a female courier reportedly delivered a package that exploded. Security operatives attempted to intercept the package, but it detonated, killing Yerusalimov, the courier, and three other individuals. At least 19 others were injured in the blast.
Chayko is believed to have escaped unharmed, but his daughter, Maria Peredriy, 25, sustained serious injuries, including a traumatic brain injury. Her husband, Daniil Peredriy, 27, a former professional ice hockey player, died from his injuries in the hospital.
The funeral for Yerusalimov took place at Troekurovskoye cemetery and was reportedly attended by security officials. According to the Telegram channel VKCh-OGPU, which has ties to law enforcement, Yerusalimov had been promoted twice by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He previously served as the first deputy chief of staff of the Moscow Military District.
Authorities initially attempted to conceal the identities of the victims following the incident. Reports indicate the device was a homemade bomb containing metal balls, with an explosive force equivalent to 1 kilogram of TNT.
Images circulated on Russian social media showed emergency services responding to the scene, located near one of Moscow's Stalin-era skyscrapers. Police cordoned off the area, and nearby metro station entrances were temporarily closed. A Moscow police spokesperson confirmed an explosion occurred around 8:10 p.m. local time, resulting in three deaths and 15 injuries.
Colonel General Chayko has been designated a "war criminal" by Ukraine. He is recognized in Russia as a decorated war hero and was reportedly involved in aerial bombardments of Ukraine using Tu-95MS aircraft. In 2022, Chayko commanded Russian forces during the initial invasion of Ukraine, including operations in Bucha, where war crimes were documented. Ukrainian forces also reportedly attacked Chayko's Engels-2 airbase in the Saratov region on Sunday.
