An explosion at the Russian Consulate in Marseille, France, early Monday morning has been described by the Russian Foreign Ministry as a terrorist attack, escalating diplomatic tensions between Moscow and Paris. The blast occurred on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, though no injuries or significant damage were reported.
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that the incident bore "all the hallmarks of a terrorist attack" and called on France to conduct a full investigation. "We demand (from France) exhaustive and prompt measures to investigate, as well as steps to strengthen the security of Russian foreign missions," Zakharova said in a statement carried by Russian state media.
According to French authorities, three explosive devices were thrown at the consulate, with two detonating outside the building. A third device, which failed to ignite, landed on the sidewalk. French police have launched an investigation but have yet to identify a suspect or determine a motive for the attack.
Stanislav Oranskiy, Russia's Consul General in Marseille, confirmed to local media outlet La Marseillaise that the explosion originated inside the consulate's garden. Firefighters and police responded to the scene, and bomb disposal experts were called in to assess the remnants of the devices.
Authorities initially suspected the attack involved Molotov cocktails, but later clarified that the devices did not fit that description. "The notion of a Molotov cocktail does not seem to be the right one at this stage," a French police official told local media. A stolen car was also discovered near the consulate, though its connection to the attack remains unclear.
While the incident did not result in casualties, it comes at a particularly sensitive time in France-Russia relations. The European Union has just announced its sixteenth package of sanctions against Moscow in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine, and French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington to discuss the conflict.
Marseille, France's second-largest city, has been a focal point of anti-Russia protests since the war in Ukraine began in 2022. However, authorities have not linked the attack to any known groups or political movements.
