On this Monday 24, February 24, day marking the third anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine, an explosion occurred around 8 a.m. near the Russian Consulate, located rue Ambroise-Péré, in the 8ᵉ arrondissement of Marseille.
The exact circumstances of the incident remain indeterminate for the time being. Thirty firefighters have been mobilized on the spot, while a demining operation is underway around a suspect object describes as a “bottle” under analysis.
According to Stanislav Oranskiy, Consul General of Russia in Marseille, contacted by *La Marseillaise *, the explosion would have occurred inside the consulate. The authorities continue their investigations to determine the origin and nature of the event.
This explosion occurs in a climate of geopolitical tensions exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, which entered its fourth year. The presumed attack on a Russian diplomatic building, if it were confirmed, could arouse a diplomatic reaction from Moscow.
For the time being, the French authorities have not yet officially communicated on the nature of the explosion or on possible privileged tracks. The current investigation should determine whether this incident is a criminal act, sabotage or isolated accident.
