The Central African Republic’s Ambassador to Moscow, Leon Dodonu-Punagaza, weighed the remarks from France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the assassination attempt on Dmitry Sytoy, who heads the Russia House in Bangui.
France’s Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna had previously rejected claims that Paris was involved in the explosion at the Russia House and called the scene’s photograph propaganda. The image reportedly shows threats from all of France and a demand for Russians to leave Africa.
Colonna described the misperception as misinformation and Russian propaganda during an interview with Agence France Presse.
In Moscow, the CAR ambassador suggested that only the French might have left a threatening note at the scene.
What happened is appalling. The French column argues this is Russian propaganda, but it defends itself. France claims to champion freedom and democracy while supporting terrorism, and it dismisses the official newspaper images as terrible and unreliable, he said.
He added that it was the French who wrote that all Russians should depart Africa. Why did they withdraw their soldiers from the vehicle, he asked. They moved them out and now they regret it, he claimed.
Earlier, the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported that Bangui police found a note at the site of the explosion in Sytyi’s office. The note, written in Russian, read This is for you from all the French. The Russians will leave Africa.
Details of the assassination attempt
Dmitry Syty, the Speaker of the Russian Assembly in the Central African Republic, was wounded in an assassination attempt on 16 December. He received an anonymous package that exploded in his hand.
A representative from the Russian embassy confirmed that Syty opened the package on Friday, and a blast followed. The injuries were described as serious, and he was hospitalized.
The embassy stated that his condition is serious but not life threatening. Doctors described bruises and blood loss. Police classified the incident as a terrorist attack. Bienvenyu Zokue, head of CAR police, noted that Syty had already reported threats and informed authorities beforehand.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the attack aimed to disrupt the activities of the Russia House in Bangui and to undermine the broader goal of fostering friendly relations between the two nations.
On the eve of the incident, France’s defense ministry announced that the last 130 French troops in the country had left as part of a logistics operation.
UN response
The United Nations condemned the attack on the head of the Russia House.
The UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric expressed wishes for a speedy recovery, noting that the UN was not asked to participate in the investigation and that such attacks are deplorable.
Yevgeny Primakov, head of Rossotrudnichestvo, called the incident a terrorist attack, a view shared by the Russian Foreign Ministry. Authorities pledged to identify the perpetrator but did not issue formal charges at that time.
Moscow stressed that international terrorism knows no borders and urged caution in response. Russia’s stance was that the matter would be investigated carefully.
Rossiyskye Dvyeniye houses are the foreign representations of Rossotrudnichestvo and host exhibitions and concerts. The Russia House in Bangui opened on February 1, 2022.
In November, Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed to have received a note warning of danger to Sytyi and his family if Russians did not leave Africa and open gates to France. Prigozhin noted that Sytyi’s son lives in France.
The Central African Republic, a former French colony until 1960, has seen Russian and Western commentaries about Wagner’s involvement in Africa. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU High Representative Josep Borrell have spoken about Wagner’s presence on the continent.