Abdelrahman
The Russian Foreign Ministry has reported that an explosion occurred at its consulate located in the French city of Marseille, which they characterized as a terrorist act.
“The blast at the Russian Consulate General in Marseille bears all the characteristics of a terrorist incident,” TASS quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova as stating.
“We call upon France for a thorough and swift investigation, along with enhanced security measures for Russian diplomatic missions.”
Reports from French media indicate that the explosion was heard early Monday morning near the consulate.
Details on the Incident at the Russian Consulate
BFM Marseille reported that approximately 30 firefighters responded to the scene, though French police were unable to verify these reports.
The Russian Consul General in Marseille, Stanislav Oranskiy, confirmed to La Marseillaise that the explosion originated from within the consulate premises.
According to BFM Marseille, a suspect, whose identity remains unknown, tossed two explosive devices into the consulate’s garden, but fortunately, there were no damages or injuries. Only one of the suspected homemade explosives, crafted from plastic bottles, detonated.
Additionally, authorities discovered a stolen vehicle parked near the consulate.
Initial assessments by French police suggested the explosives might have been Molotov cocktails, but they later revised their statement, acknowledging that “the identification of the devices as Molotov cocktails does not appear accurate at this point.”
Fortunately, no personnel were harmed, and both staff and the Russian consul remained safe, as noted by sources.
This incident occurs as the European Union has unveiled its sixteenth package of sanctions against Moscow, coinciding with the observance of three years since the onset of the Ukraine-Russia War.
Reuters contributed to this report.
