Russia criticizes 'light sentencing' of pro-Ukraine arsonists
A French court has handed down an eight-month sentence of home arrest to two men for launching makeshift bombs at the Russian consulate in Marseilles. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
A French court has sentenced two pro-Ukraine activists to eight months of house arrest after they threw makeshift bombs at the Russian consulate in Marseilles, a ruling that multiple media outlets have reported. The Russian embassy in France has condemned this decision, asserting that it is too lenient for what constitutes an attempted terrorist attack.
The two individuals, identified as Vasile H., 48, and Georges S., 59, faced charges of “unauthorized manufacture of an explosive or incendiary device” and “attempted property damage by means dangerous to people,” according to Le Figaro. They will serve their sentences at home, wearing mandatory ankle monitoring devices.
In response to the ruling, the Russian embassy issued a statement on Thursday, criticizing the leniency of the sentence. “The very lenient sentence handed down is absolutely inconsistent with the gravity of the crime – essentially, an attempt to commit a terrorist act,” the consulate emphasized, noting that it was fortunate no one was injured during the incident.
Both suspects, who are employees of the French National Center for Scientific Research, admitted their involvement in the arson attack, as reported by Reuters. Prosecutors had sought a year of monitoring for them.
The attackers used liquid nitrogen sourced from their workplace to create explosive devices. This super-cooled liquid, typically stored at temperatures below -196 degrees Celsius, transforms into gas when placed in a sealed container, leading to increased pressure, as explained by Vasile H. They created their explosives using plastic soda bottles and threw them onto the grounds of the Russian consulate.
“I threw a bottle but it fell next to the neighbor’s house. I ran away and I didn’t hear anything. I told myself that I had done it for nothing,” one of the suspects reportedly stated. Georges S. acknowledged that had one of their devices struck a person, it could have caused injuries, according to Le Figaro.
The pair was reportedly detained later the same day during a rally in support of Ukraine. The Russian embassy insisted that the “incompetence” of the perpetrators “does not relieve them of responsibility for what they did and cannot serve as a mitigating circumstance” in determining their punishment.
Additionally, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Agency recently warned that amid diplomatic discussions between Washington and Moscow, there is concern that Kiev may attempt to undermine ceasefire negotiations with terrorist acts.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
The two individuals, identified as Vasile H., 48, and Georges S., 59, faced charges of “unauthorized manufacture of an explosive or incendiary device” and “attempted property damage by means dangerous to people,” according to Le Figaro. They will serve their sentences at home, wearing mandatory ankle monitoring devices.
In response to the ruling, the Russian embassy issued a statement on Thursday, criticizing the leniency of the sentence. “The very lenient sentence handed down is absolutely inconsistent with the gravity of the crime – essentially, an attempt to commit a terrorist act,” the consulate emphasized, noting that it was fortunate no one was injured during the incident.
Both suspects, who are employees of the French National Center for Scientific Research, admitted their involvement in the arson attack, as reported by Reuters. Prosecutors had sought a year of monitoring for them.
The attackers used liquid nitrogen sourced from their workplace to create explosive devices. This super-cooled liquid, typically stored at temperatures below -196 degrees Celsius, transforms into gas when placed in a sealed container, leading to increased pressure, as explained by Vasile H. They created their explosives using plastic soda bottles and threw them onto the grounds of the Russian consulate.
“I threw a bottle but it fell next to the neighbor’s house. I ran away and I didn’t hear anything. I told myself that I had done it for nothing,” one of the suspects reportedly stated. Georges S. acknowledged that had one of their devices struck a person, it could have caused injuries, according to Le Figaro.
The pair was reportedly detained later the same day during a rally in support of Ukraine. The Russian embassy insisted that the “incompetence” of the perpetrators “does not relieve them of responsibility for what they did and cannot serve as a mitigating circumstance” in determining their punishment.
Additionally, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Agency recently warned that amid diplomatic discussions between Washington and Moscow, there is concern that Kiev may attempt to undermine ceasefire negotiations with terrorist acts.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
