Bomb disposal unit called to Russian Embassy

The bomb disposal unit of the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) responded to the Russian Embassy on Friday after someone threw items over a tall fence bordering Charlotte Street, according to police.

OPS received a call from the embassy shortly after 11 a.m., a spokesperson said. The bomb disposal unit and forensic identification team responded to the scene.

Police told CBC that due to ongoing international tension and the unknown nature of the objects, they treated the incident with an abundance of caution.

Photos taken at the scene and provided to CBC show a police bomb disposal robot inside the embassy compound, handling what appears to be a cell phone or similar flat device in a plastic bag.

Police said all the objects were recovered without incident, but would not confirm what the items were.

The scene was declared clear just before 2 p.m., according to the OPS. Police said the investigation is ongoing but there is no known threat to public safety.

In 2022, OPS investigated after someone allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail onto the Russian Embassy grounds.