Watch: Three explosions hit Moscow's business district

Three explosions were reported on Wednesday in Moscow’s central business district. According to Russian state media, the incident began when a car exploded in an underground parking lot at a shopping mall, sparking a fire.

Several unverified videos on social media showed a huge fireball followed by thick smoke rising into the sky near the Afimall City shopping centre by the Moskva River.

❗️In Russia, 3 explosions were heard in 🇷🇺Moscow City.
Previously, according to Russian media, a car exploded. pic.twitter.com/B61bWh40fj

— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) April 23, 2025

The footage revealed dark smoke rising near the Afimall City shopping centre situated along the Moskva River.

Local authorities said that the fire has been extinguished, though no official statements regarding casualties or damage extent have been released.

‼️ Car Explosion Sparks Fire in Central Moscow Shopping Mall

A car exploded in central Moscow, triggering a fire in a nearby shopping mall, according to local media reports. The blast occurred in the underground parking area of the complex.

Emergency services are on the scene,… pic.twitter.com/o2FaK6usRT

— Based & Viral (@ViralBased) April 23, 2025

The cause is still unknown, and it’s unclear whether it was a planned attack.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Russian military reported explosions at a significant military storage facility east of Moscow, attributing the incident to "safety violations".

"As a result of a fire on the territory of a military unit in the Vladimir region, ammunition stored in a warehouse detonated," the defence ministry said.

"According to preliminary information... the cause of the fire was a violation of safety standards in work with explosive materials," the defence ministry added.

In summer 2022, five individuals perished in a comparable incident at the depot, as reported by local officials, and in March 2025, residents of Barsovo village were evacuated following a drone strike.