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Latvia’s Foreign Minister Baiba Braze confirmed “with indignation” on Friday that a Russian attack had damaged the Baltic nation’s honorary consulate in the Ukrainian city of Sloviansk, killing at least six Ukrainian civilians and injuring dozens more.
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“I have informed EU and NATO ministers and international organisations,” Braze said in an online statement. “Russia can destroy buildings, not Ukraine’s will and Latvia’s support.”
Latvian public broadcaster LTV Zinu dienests reported that Latvia’s Honorary Consul, Oleksandr Pavenko, was not harmed in the attack, which occurred in the Donbas region.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics described the attack on the consulate as a “war crime.” “Latvia stands with Ukraine. We will continue to support the work of our honorary consul, Oleksandr Pavenko, and all those who remain on the front lines helping their people,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that guided aerial bombs killed half a dozen civilians on Friday, with more injured. In a statement posted online, he said that the attack damaged “ordinary homes, the consulate building, and vehicles.”
“It is important that our partners fully understand that protecting lives also depends on them. Interceptors for Patriot systems are the number one priority,” Zelenskyy said.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said this is another example of Russia’s “blatant violation of international law” and its disregard for the protection of civilian and consular premises.
He urged “strong international responses” to the incident.
EU and Baltic outrage
Senior EU figures have also lent their support to Ukraine and Latvia.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen leads the charge by offering her condolences to families affected by the fatal attack, with the strike against Latvia’s diplomatic outpost also showing Russia’s “complete disregard for diplomacy.
“Russia is losing the war it started, and is increasingly targeting civilians in a desperate attempt to crush Ukraine’s spirit. But Ukraine’s spirit is unbreakable. And so is Europe’s resolve to support Ukraine’s defence,” she said.
European Council President António Costa echoed these remarks, adding that Russia’s attack on the consulate and the city of Sloviansk is a “grave and unacceptable act.”
“I strongly condemn this strike, which claimed lives and left many injured,” he said.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys denounced Russia’s actions against Ukrainian civilians and Latvia’s political infrastructure, insisting they will not “break the courage, resilience, and determination of the Ukrainian people, nor the resolve of those who stand with Ukraine”.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna called the incident a “deliberate attack” on Ukrainians and European diplomatic offices.
“These attacks will not go unanswered. Pressure will intensify, and support for Ukraine will not waver,” he added.
In August last year, Russian strikes on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv “severely damaged” the EU’s diplomatic offices, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stating at the time she was “outraged” by the assault, which killed at least 17 Ukrainian civilians.