Explosion rocks Russian Consulate in Marseilles: Building is locked down as firefighters deal with blaze on third anniversary of Ukraine war
An explosion has rocked the Russian Consulate in Marseille, with the building on lockdown as firefighters fight with the blaze on the third anniversary of the Ukraine war.
The blasts were caused by Molotov Cocktails thrown over the walls of the property in the southern French port city this morning with Russian officials declaring it had 'all the hallmarks of a terrorist attack'.
'There were two loud explosions and material damage, but nobody was injured,' a Marseille police source said.
'The building remains in lockdown, and a criminal enquiry has been launched.'
Emergency workers were inside on Monday morning, while special forces police and soldiers secured the perimeter of the building in the southern French city.
A local source told La Marseillaise newspaper: 'The Russian Consul General confirms that the explosion took place inside the consulate and that firefighters entered.'
The blast came on the third anniversary of Russia's ground invasion of Ukraine, and on the day French president Emmanuel Macron travels to Washington for an emergency meeting about the war with President Donald Trump.
French firefighters and rescue forces stand near the entrance of the Russian consulate in Marseille after the consul general confirmed there had been an explosion, in Marseille, France, February 25, 2025
French firefighters and rescue forces work near the entrance of the Russian consulate in Marseille after the consul general confirmed there had been an explosion, in Marseille, France, February 25, 2025
An explosion has rocked the Russian Consulate in Marseille, with the building on lockdown as firefighters fight with the blaze on the third anniversary of the Ukraine war (GV of the consulate)
By 9.30am, there were some 30 emergency workers dealing with the fire inside the consulate.
The French interior ministry has said that there were no victims following the explosion and blaze.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the Tass news agency: 'We demand (from France) exhaustive and prompt measures to investigate, as well as steps to strengthen the security of Russian foreign missions.'
