“France condemns any damage to the security of diplomatic rights -of -way,” said the Quai d’Orsay on Monday, February 24 in the morning, a few hours after an attack on the Consulate General of Russia in Marseille. “The inviolability, protection and integrity of the diplomatic and consular rights of way, as well as their staff, are fundamental principles of international law” recalls the French government.
What happened this Monday morning in the Russian consulate gardens, located in the very opulent 8th arrondissement of Marseille? Around 8 am, “three bottles of 50 cl plastic soda were sent this morning to the consulate gardens. Two of them broke out and generated detonations” according to the police headquarters. According to a police source, these bottles have exploded on the facade of the building, without however being injured.
All around the building, the perimeter was quickly completed. If the formula used to cause the explosion is not yet known, “the analysis of the residues of products contained in these bottles is underway,” said the police headquarters. Throughout the morning, firefighters, police forces but also deminers were present on the spot. Demining operations ended at 11:30 am, announced one of the members of the technical team, and the system began to be reduced.
Russia denounces “a terrorist attack”
It is now the judicial police who is responsible for the investigation. The Marseille prosecution has announced “the opening of a flagration investigation for degradation by explosive or incendiary substances”. This was entrusted to the organized and specialized crime division (DCOS).
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately denounced a “terrorist attack”, while the conflict in Ukraine between Monday in its fourth year. These explosions “present all the signs of a terrorist attack,” said the Russian foreign ministry by the voice of his spokesperson. “We demand that the host country quickly take full investigation measures, as well as measures to strengthen the security of establishments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” she said, quoted by the Ria Novosti agency.