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Situation calm around Russia’s embassy in Beirut - diplomat

On Saturday, clashes erupted between the riot police and protesters in downtown Beirut

BEIRUT, August 8. /TASS/. The situation remains calm outside the Russian embassy in Lebanon’s capital gripped on Saturday by clashes between the police and anti-government protesters, and there are no immediate reports about the injured among the Russian nationals, Vyacheslav Maksudov, the Russian embassy’s counsellor, told TASS.

"There were no immediate reports about the injured people among the Russian nationals during the demonstrations in downtown Beirut," he said. "The situation in the area outside the embassy is calm. Required security measures are in place."

On Saturday, clashes erupted between the riot police and protesters in downtown Beirut. The protesters have entered the premises of the Foreign and Economy Ministries. They are storming the Association of Lebanese Banks.

The protests were sparked by a powerful blast that on August 4 ripped through Beirut’s port and generated a shockwave, which either destroyed or damaged a larger part of the city infrastructure. According to the Health Ministry, 158 people were killed in the blast and more than 6,000 injured. More than 300,000 people have been left homeless. Among them are 100,000 children.

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