Unknown man throws Molotov cocktails at administrative building near Gatchina, St. Petersburg region, it catches fire

Molotov cocktail bottles were thrown at the local administration building of the Syaskelevskoye settlement under the town of Gatchina, St. Petersburg region, following which the building caught fire, reports local media outlet 47news.

According to the outlet, the local emergency services received a fire alarm signal from the administrative building around 1AM on 25 September.

“The Social Protection Department’s cabinet was on fire. The source of fire were two bottles containing combustible mixture, which had been thrown in the window. According to the preliminary data, a man in a light beige jacket with a line across its back threw the Molotov cocktail into the building,” the outlet reports.

The area of fire was 50 square metres, no one was hurt, 47news states, citing the emergency services press service. A criminal case under Article “On deliberate destruction of property by arson” was initiated.

After the start of the war in Ukraine, over 20 incidents, in which military enlistment offices or other government buildings had been set on fire, were reported all over Russia. With the start of the “partial mobilisation”, such incidents have become more frequent.