Key facts
- Latvia's Honorary Consulate in Sloviansk, Ukraine, was damaged by a Russian attack.
- Six Ukrainian civilians were killed and dozens injured in the strike.
- Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže condemned the attack.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated guided aerial bombs were used.
- EU and Baltic leaders denounced the strike as a deliberate act against civilians and diplomatic infrastructure.
Latvia's Honorary Consulate in the Ukrainian city of Sloviansk was struck and damaged in a Russian attack that killed at least six Ukrainian civilians and injured dozens more, according to Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže. Braže confirmed the incident with indignation, stating that she had informed EU and NATO ministers and international organizations. She asserted that Russia could destroy buildings but not Ukraine's will or Latvia's support.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that guided aerial bombs killed six civilians and injured more, with damage reported to ordinary homes, the consulate building, and vehicles. He emphasized that protecting lives depends on international partners and that interceptors for Patriot systems are the top priority.
European leaders strongly condemned the attack. European Council President António Costa called it a "grave and unacceptable act" and expressed the EU's full solidarity with Ukraine and Latvia. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys denounced Russia's actions, stating they would not break the courage of the Ukrainian people or those supporting them. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna described the incident as a "deliberate attack" on Ukrainians and European diplomatic offices, vowing that pressure would intensify and support for Ukraine would not waver.