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Makeshift bomb was thrown into premises of Russian consulate in The Hague — ambassador

It was not the sole hostile act against Russian diplomats lately, Alexander Shulgin informed

MOSCOW, March 5. /TASS/. A makeshift explosive device was hurled into the premises of the Russian consular office in the Netherlands on Friday, but fortunately it failed to go off, ambassador Alexander Shulgin said on Saturday.

"Yesterday, a makeshift explosive device was hurled into the premises of the consular office. The bomb - a gas cylinder - fortunately failed to go off. The detonating cord went out," Shulgin said on Russia’s TV Channel One.

He added it was not the sole hostile act against Russian diplomats lately.

"The embassy received letters containing white powder. The envelopes were addressed to the miliary attache, three senior diplomats at our embassy and myself," he added.

Sulgin stressed that the aim of such provocations was to exert moral pressure on the Russian embassy’s staff. The diplomatic mission keeps working as usual.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24 launched a special military operation in Ukraine following a request for assistance from the leaders of the Donbass republics. He said Moscow had no plans for an occupation of Ukrainian territories. The sole purpose is the country’s demilitarization and denazification. Russia’s decision evoked large-scale Western sanctions. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described the restrictions as "a tax on independence." He expressed the certainty that this "hysteria will die down" and a solution for Ukraine would be eventually identified.