The Russian Consulate, which deals with citizens while in France, located in Marseille, France, has gone into lockdown following an unexplained explosion inside the building.
Reports and photos that have emerged have seen emergency services surrounding the building, while special police forces and soldiers secured the area around the building in the southern French city. "The Russian Consul General confirms’ that ‘the explosion took place inside the consulate and that firefighters entered," a local source told the La Marseillaise newspaper. It also took place on the third anniversary of the break out of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
It occurred on the same day French President Emmanuel Macron is set to travel to Washington DC for an urgent meeting about the ongoing war with US President Donald Trump. By 9:30am, around 30 emergency workers were tackling the fire inside the consulate.
Police reported at least two explosions. A spokesperson for Marseille police confirmed the blasts were triggered by two Molotov Cocktails thrown over the consulate's walls.
"There were two loud explosions and material damage but nobody was injured. The building remains in lockdown and a criminal enquiry has been launched."
According to TASS, a Russian news agency, the country's foreign ministry suggested the explosion bore the signs of a "terrorist attack." The Russian Foreign Ministry also called for a comprehensive investigation from French authorities. Photos and video near the consulate showed emergency services lining the street.
The police added that there were at least two explosions that took place in the building. Currently, the attacker is unknown, but Russian officials are calling for a thorough investigation.
Photos and video close to the consulate showed emergency services lining the street.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated and thanked his citizens for their bravery throughout the conflict. Online, he shared a video of soldiers fighting the invading Russians while communities gathered together to mark the sad occasion.
Zelensky said: "Three years of resistance. Three years of gratitude. Three years of support. Three years of unity. Three years of assistance.
"Three years of full-scale war is a very long time, but the Ukrainian people have defended their right to independence and to a state of their own."
Russia launched a huge drone attack on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, on Sunday February 23 – it's biggest single strike yet. Ukraine’s air defense shot down 138 drones while 119 decoy drones were lost.
While there were no reported casualties in Kyiv, three people were injured in Odesa Oblast after a fire broke out at a residential house, reported Odesa Oblast military head Oleh Kiper.
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