Filenews 28 April 2023
Under the weight of Russian reports that yesterday clearly spoke of arson against the Russian Science and Culture Center in Nicosia, pointing a Ukrainian finger, the Fire Brigade and Police are scrutinizing the fire from which the fire broke out.
From the investigations so far, everything indicates that the big fire broke out accidentally, probably from a cigarette butt, since there is no evidence to suggest malicious action, nor is the report of Molotov cocktails being thrown substantiated. However, and in order to rule out the small possibility that it is arson, officially the spokesman of the Fire Brigade says that all possibilities are being investigated. More clearly, however, was the police spokesman who said there were no reports of Molotov cocktails being thrown.
Yesterday the investigation focused on the one and only source of the fire, located near a small entrance through which workers were entering to renovate the centre. There were several flammable materials (thinner, paints, polystyrene, etc.) and it is not excluded that a cigarette butt was thrown or caused an ignition, resulting in the outbreak of fire. At the time of the fire, 4 crews were working in the centre doing various tasks.
Yesterday, fire brigade spokesman Andreas Kettis said a three-member team of investigators from the service under the deputy chief fire marshal went to the scene and carried out investigations. The main hearth was developed outside the building, he said, where there were highly flammable materials. He also mentioned that a large thermal load was developed, while there was an exposed LPG cylinder which released its contents and therefore helped the development of the fire. He also noted that there may have been an explosion first and then the fire or vice versa, adding that there is testimony that first they saw a small flame and immediately a huge fire broke out.
The position of the police was clearer regarding reports by officials of the centre about Molotov cocktails being thrown. The police spokesman told "F" yesterday that there are no such indications or testimonies of throwing a Molotov cocktail. He said videos were received from the scene and are being examined. "F" reports that the CCTV at the centre was out of order and there was no other nearby that had recorded any suspicious movement. Also, last night the head of the centre was called to the ICF Headquarters to give further details about the fire, but said that it was elsewhere and did not see how it started.
In Russia, however, they have been openly talking about a terrorist attack since yesterday. The day before yesterday, the head of "Russian Cooperation", the competent organization under the Russian Foreign Ministry to which the respective foreign centres belong, Yevgeny Primakov, told the Russian news agency "RIA-Novosti" that "we do not know exactly if it was a Molotov cocktail". Yesterday, he wrote on his Telegram account that "a terrorist attack was carried out against our cultural centre, the Russian House in Cyprus, in Nicosia. I am convinced that the terrorists were supporters of the Kiev regime, most likely among Ukrainians now living in Cyprus." He added that "unknown terrorists threw several bottles of flammable mixture, Molotov cocktails at the Center for Science and Culture, which is a purely cultural institution, and in it children are taught the Russian language and music, exhibitions and concerts are held." He also wrote that "someone hung a Ukrainian flag on the building opposite, apparently wanting to leave his signature."
