Rossotrudnichestvo called the arson of the building of the Russian Science Center in Cyprus a terrorist act

The arson of the building of the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Nicosia is regarded by the Russian side as a terrorist act. This statement was made by the head of Rossotrudnichestvo, Yevgeny Primakov, on the air of the Rossiya-24 TV channel.

“We qualify this as a terrorist attack, since this is an attack on a civilian, peaceful building, clearly with the aim of not only damaging, but also intimidating both our employees and the people who come to this cultural center,” he said (quote according to TASS).

According to preliminary information, the arson of the building is connected with “Ukrainian activities,” Primakov said. According to him, after the terrorist attack, unidentified people hung a Ukrainian flag in the window of one of the buildings near the cultural center. “Even if these are not the same people who committed this terrorist act, there was some Ukrainian pride in this,” he explained.

Primakov stressed that they were not going to close the center after the incident, it would continue to work despite the fire. The head of Rossotrudnichestvo specified that the building would be repaired.

Earlier today about the fire reported head of the Russian Center for Science and Culture Alina Radchenko. According to her, the incident happened around 13.30 Moscow time. Eyewitnesses claimed that “Molotov cocktails” were thrown into the building. After “two strong claps” were heard, the wall and the roof of the center caught fire, Radchenko specified.

As a result, no one was hurt, people were evacuated from the building, according to the Russian Embassy in Cyprus. By words Russian Ambassador Murat Zyazikov, different versions of what happened are being considered. The Nicosia Fire Department added that the cause of the fire was being investigated.

The Russian Center for Science and Culture was opened in Nicosia in 1978. This is one of the foreign offices of Rossotrudnichestvo. The main objectives of the center are the development of cultural, humanitarian, scientific and technical cooperation between Russia and Cyprus, as well as the promotion of Russian culture and the popularization of the Russian language. The center conducts classes in the study of Russian, Greek and English, as well as a ballet school and a fitness section.