Men prepare to leave Poland to fight in Ukraine, at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland
Highlights
- The incident prompted a hazmat team to respond to the scene, the police said
- The packages were discovered outside the embassy early on Thursday
- Local authorities are now inspecting the envelopes
The Russian Embassy in Australian capital of Canberra received parcels containing a 'suspicious' white powder early on Thursday. According to the police and diplomatic staffers, the incident prompted a hazmat team to respond to the scene.
Two mysterious packages containing an "unknown white powder" were discovered outside the embassy early on Thursday morning, RT News quoted the diplomatic mission as saying
Local authorities are now inspecting the envelopes, it further noted.
In a statement, the Australian Capital Territory Police (ACT) later confirmed that the "contents of the package are currently being assessed", adding that a "cordon" is now in place around the embassy "and the public is urged to avoid the area until further notice".
A number of emergency vehicles were later seen at the embassy, including a hazardous materials response unit, whose members were shown clad in special protective gear in images circulating in Australian media.
(With inputs from IANS)
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