Russian embassy in Moldova petrol bombed

A man has been arrested for throwing a petrol bomb into the courtyard of the Russian embassy in the Moldovan capital Chisinau.

"The suspect was detained by security forces after throwing two petrol bombs into the embassy courtyard," Anatoly Loshakov, press secretary of the Russian embassy in Chisinau, Moldova, told TASS today. Embassy staff extinguished the fire.

The Russian Embassy in Chisinau was an overseas polling station for the March 15-17 Russian presidential election. "No diplomatic staff or Russian citizens were injured in the incident," Loshakov added. The polling station returned to normal operations after the incident.

Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said on March 14 that Moscow's embassy in Washington also received many threats related to the Russian presidential election.

"We know that anti-Russian actions are planned around Russian embassies and consulates, that people will try to break in. Such actions cannot disrupt the elections, but they will make the situation more difficult and spoil our mood," Antonov said.

Russian Embassy in Chisinau, Moldova, March 2018. Photo: Reuters — Russian Embassy in Chisinau, Moldova, March 2018. Photo: *Reuters*

Russians go to the polls on March 15-17 to elect a new president who will lead the country for the next six years. This is the first time Russia has held a presidential election over three days, instead of one day as before, and voters will be allowed to cast their ballots remotely.

The candidates include incumbent President Vladimir Putin, who is running as an independent, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia Leonid Slutsky, MP Vladislav Davankov and MP Nikolay Kharitonov.

Ahead of the election, the chairwoman of the Russian Central Election Commission, Ella Pamfilova, said the agency was aware of the possibility of provocations disrupting the presidential election process, but pledged not to let the vote be affected.

Nhu Tam (According to Reuters, TASS )

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