PARIS— On Thursday, two academics from France’s principal state research agency were sentenced to eight months in prison for hurling explosives at the Russian consulate in Marseille, a city in southern France. On Monday, February 24, the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the two scientists, who are employed at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, carried out their attack.
According to Radio France, the researchers hurled three plastic bottles filled with a homemade combination and a mixture of nitrogen and other chemicals at the Russian consulate’s gardens. Two of the three hurled bottles detonated and caused explosions. Although there were no casualties or damage, the avenue leading to the Russian embassy was blocked off for a few hours so that professionals in bomb disposal could become involved.
At a pro-Ukraine demonstration outside the town hall in Marseille that same evening, the researchers were taken into custody. They acknowledged taking -190C liquid nitrogen from their working laboratory at their ensuing court appearance. Public prosecutor Olivier Redon told French channel TF1 that “the facts were not dangerous” and that he thought the researchers were “honest individuals” who were exercising prudence “on purpose.”
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