Russian General Alexander Chayko, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, survived an assassination attempt at his 55th birthday party when a homemade bomb exploded at a Moscow restaurant, killing five people and injuring 19 others. The device, reportedly disguised as a gift delivered by courier, detonated at the Balzi Rossi eatery in Kudrinskaya Square, approximately one mile from the Kremlin.
Among the fatalities was Chayko's son-in-law, Daniil Peredriy, 27, a former professional ice hockey player. Chayko's daughter, Maria Peredriy, 25, sustained serious injuries, including an open traumatic brain injury. The reported female bomber was killed near the restaurant's outdoor terrace.
The event, described as an £85,000 party, was attended by Moscow politicians, high-ranking military and intelligence officers, and top bureaucrats. The explosive device was reportedly packed with metal balls and had a force equivalent to 1 kilogram of TNT.
Images posted on Russian Telegram channels showed emergency services at the scene, located at one of Moscow's Stalin-era skyscrapers. Traffic near Kudrinskaya Square was temporarily blocked, and entrances to the Barrikadnaya metro station were closed. Police confirmed an explosion occurred around 8:10 p.m. local time, initially reporting three deaths and 15 injured.
Chayko has been a significant figure in Russia's military operations. In June, Ukraine branded him a war criminal. He is credited with overseeing ruthless aerial bombardments of Ukraine, including attacks on the Engels-2 airbase. In 2022, he commanded Russian forces in the Kyiv region during the initial invasion, a period associated with alleged atrocities in Bucha, near Kyiv.
Separately, a Ukrainian report claimed that Russian Major General Dmitry Mikhailov, 39, was killed by an FPV drone in the war zone. Mikhailov had previously been linked by Ukrainian investigators to war crimes during the occupation of the Izium area. The report of his death had not been officially confirmed.