Man detained after ramming car into Russia's consulate in Sydney
A man was arrested on Sept. 1 after crashing a car into the grounds of the Russian consulate in Sydney, Australia.
The Australian police said their diplomatic protection unit responded to an emergency call from the Russian consulate after an unauthorized vehicle was found in the driveway.
Law enforcement officers arrived at the scene shortly after 8 a.m. local time and tried to speak to the driver before he drove his car into the consulate gate, the police said.
Australian media published footage of a white SUV with open doors and smashed windows abandoned on the consulate's grounds.
A 39-year-old man was arrested at the scene and is being interrogated, according to Sky News. A 24-year-old police officer was treated after suffering a hand injury. No other injuries were reported.
Similar incidents have occurred at other Russian diplomatic missions since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Russian consulate in Marseille, France, was hit by two Molotov cocktails in February, and a man was arrested in Sweden in January after driving a car into the Russian Embassy in Stockholm.
Australia has supported Ukraine throughout the full-scale war, providing military and economic aid and joining international sanctions against Moscow.
