PARIS, February 24. /TASS/. Explosions occurred near Russia’s Consulate General in Marseille.

According to preliminary information, there have been no casualties.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS that the blasts appeared to be a terrorist attack. She noted that Russia demands that the French side take comprehensive measures on investigating the explosions.

TASS has compiled main facts of the incident.

Incident’s details

- The incident occurred about 8 a.m. local time (7 a.m. GMT).

- About 30 first responders arrived at the scene.

- A correspondent from Valeurs Actuelles reported that it seemed that unidentified individuals had tossed containers with incendiary substances into the garden on the Consulate General’s premises. A stolen car was found near the incident site.

- According to preliminary information, the attack resulted merely in property damage, there have been no casualties.

- Later, the Consulate General said that three explosive devices had been thrown on the premises, with one of them failing to detonate.

- Bomb disposal experts are working on the premises, with the area around it being cordoned off.

Russian Foreign Ministry's response

- The explosions at the Russian Consulate General in Marseille resemble a terrorist attack. Moscow demands a thorough investigation from Paris, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS.

SVR’s alert

- On February 19, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) reported that Ukrainian authorities are considering the possibility of carrying out terror attacks against Russian diplomatic missions in Europe, particularly in Germany and the Baltic and Scandinavian countries.

- According to the agency, it is not excluded that the Ukrainians may choose Slovakia and Hungary for these purposes.

- The SVR believes that this will provide "additional advantage" to the Kiev regime because it will discredit those EU countries that have adopted a unique stance with regard to the Ukraine conflict.