A TOP Putin general has been secretly buried after he was killed in a blast that ripped through a restaurant packed with Kremlin Elite.

Major-General Valeri Plokhotnyuk, a high ranking officer, was one of five people killed in an attack at the lavish birthday party of the notorious on August 1.

Major-General Valeri PlokhotnyukMajor-General Valeri Plokhotnyuk is believed to have died on August 1 Credit: East2West Major-General Valeri PlokhotnyukHe was secretly burred at Moscow’s Troyekurovskoye Cemetery Credit: East2West

Despite attempts by Russian authorities to suppress of his death, Plokhotnyuk was covertly buried in Moscow’s Troyekurovskoye Cemetery, in a section reserved for elite military and security officials.

The bomb at the Moscow restaurant was assumed to have been intended for , who managed to escape the blast “unharmed”.

The blast was caused by the detonation of a “birthday gift” carried by an unidentified female bomber.

It is understood Plokhotnyuk was the godfather of Chayko’s daughter Maria, 25, who was seriously wounded in the blast.

Russian Aerospace Forces Commander in Chief Alexander ChaykoRussian Aerospace Forces Commander in Chief Alexander Chayko was reportedly the target of the blast Credit: East2West Balzi Rossi, one of Moscow’s most expensive Italian restaurants, in the heart of the capitalThe explosion took place outside the entrance to the exclusive Balzi Rossi restaurant Credit: East2West

A report from Astra media revelaved Maria suffered a “traumatic brain injury” as a well as “multiple shrapnel wounds” to her to her neck, abdomen and leg and is in a top Moscow hospital.

Her businessman husband Daniil Peredriy, 27, was killed.

It was previously reported that but in a shock turn of events Russian media now say he is alive.

Strangely, his name had appeared on a large wreath – yet it is believed he in fact did not die in the blast.

He reportedly answered his phone on Thursday and demanded: “Don’t write anything about me.”

He has recently worked for a secret military institute developing “automated control systems” for Putin’s armed forces.

Plokhotnyuk was burred on Wednesday and Peredriy on Thursday – both had guards of honour.

Plokhotnyuk, believed to be around 50, was a ground forces general who had been deputy commander of the 49th of Russia’s Southern Military District.

The explosion took place outside the entrance to the exclusive Balzi Rossi restaurant in central Moscow.

A total of five people died and 19 were wounded.

Among the dead were the female bomber and a security officer who was checking her “gift” when it exploded.

One other of those killed has not been identified.

Kyiv is suspected to be behind the attack because Chayko – a decorated Russian war hero whom formally listed as a war criminal in June – is behind a string of ruthless aerial bombings across the war.

In 2022, Chayko commanded Russian forces on the Kyiv front.