‘Ukraine supporters’ arrested over firebomb attack at Russian consulate – media
Two people with pro-Ukraine views have been arrested on suspicion of firebombing the Russian consulate in the French city of Marseille on Monday, according to local media. The suspects were reportedly detained at a rally in support of Kiev later the same day.
Three incendiary devices were thrown into the Russian diplomatic compound early on Monday morning, causing explosions. Moscow has condemned the act as potential terrorism and called for an expedited investigation.
The suspects, identified as an engineer and a chemist employed by the prestigious French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), were taken into custody the same evening at a pro-Kiev rally, the local newspaper La Provence reported on Tuesday. They reportedly used their expertise to concoct a mixture of nitrogen and other chemicals for home-made bombs, which intended to create a powerful detonation rather than merely starting a fire.
Nicolas Bessone, the public prosecutor of Marseille, confirmed advancements in the case and that the suspects worked at the CNRS, although their names and nationalities remain undisclosed.
Russia has initiated its own investigation, categorizing the incident as an assault on internationally protected property aimed at “provoking war or deteriorating international relations.”
Another notable incident involving a Ukrainian supporter occurred in the US last September, when then-presidential candidate Donald Trump was allegedly targeted by a man named Ryan Wesley Routh. The suspect was reportedly startled by Trump’s security detail while waiting in the bushes with a firearm at a golf course in Florida.
US law enforcement apprehended Routh hours later. He is a known advocate for the Ukrainian cause in the conflict with Russia and had previously discussed with the media plans to recruit Western-trained commandos from Afghanistan to fight for Kiev. Routh has been indicted with multiple federal charges.
Another incident happened in Slovakia last May, when a pro-Ukrainian activist shot Prime Minister Robert Fico, a vocal critic of the EU’s support for Kiev.
