An explosion occurred at the Russian consulate in Marseille, leading to a fire. The incident was confirmed by Stanislav Oransky, the Russian Consul General in Marseille, to French media. There are no reported injuries.
It is believed that unknown individuals threw bottles filled with an incendiary substance into the surrounding area of the diplomatic mission. Police and firefighters were called to the scene. A stolen vehicle was found near the site of the incident.
The explosion at the consulate happened on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Maria Zakharova, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, believes that the explosions exhibit signs of terrorism. "We demand from the host country comprehensive and prompt measures for investigation, as well as steps to enhance the security of Russian diplomatic missions," she stated.
The Russian consulate in Marseille is located on Avenue Ambroise-Paré, near other diplomatic missions, including those of Egypt, Tunisia, and Armenia.