Car Hits Russian Embassy Gate in Bucharest, Driver Dies

(Bloomberg) -- A car crashed into the gate of the Russian Embassy in Bucharest early Wednesday, bursting into flames and killing the driver, police in the Romanian capital said.

Preliminary data from the investigation showed that an unidentified man died from burn wounds sustained from setting himself on fire after crashing into the gate, prosecutor Bogdan Staicu told reporters. The probe, which is ongoing, found that vehicle contained flammable substances. 

“We can't say anything else aside from the fact that his gesture is strictly connected with personal circumstances,” Staicu said, adding that there are currently no “concrete elements to point toward a terrorist attack.” 

The Russian embassy tied the crash to “anti-Russian” sentiment directed at the Kremlin following worldwide outrage over alleged atrocities by Russian forces against civilians outside Kyiv. Echoing comments from the government in Moscow, the embassy called images of murdered civilians “staged.” 

“Regardless of the man's personal motives, there is no doubt that he committed this act under the influence of an explosion of anti-Russian hysteria connected to the staged provocation from the town of Bucha,” the embassy said. 

The Romanian Foreign Ministry condemned the embassy reaction for politicizing the event, urging the mission to show restraint and reiterating the government's accusation that Russian forces committed crimes. 

“It's rushed and inappropriate to characterize this unfortunate incident in anyway way,” the ministry said  in a statement. 

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