Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, a prominent member of the Russian imperial family and a staunch supporter of the monarchy, became a target for revolutionary groups opposing Tsar Nicholas II's regime. On the fateful day, as the Grand Duke was traveling through the Moscow Kremlin, he was attacked by Ivan Kalyayev, a member of the Socialist Revolutionary Party. Kalyayev had been lying in wait and, upon seeing the Grand Duke, hurled a bomb at him. The device exploded, resulting in the immediate death of the Grand Duke and severely injuring several bystanders.

The assassination shocked the nation and symbolized the rising tide of revolutionary sentiment against the oppressive conditions under the Tsarist regime. It sparked a wave of political violence and intensified the crackdowns by imperial authorities on revolutionary groups. Kalyayev, following his capture, expressed his commitment to revolutionary ideals, stating his act was a necessary measure against tyranny.

The aftermath saw an escalation of security measures within the Kremlin and a more aggressive stance from the imperial government toward revolutionary movements. This incident is often cited as a catalyst for further revolutionary actions and highlighted the precarious state of the Russian Empire as it approached the larger and more consequential events of 1917.