Exclusive: Fire Spotted at Russian Diplomatic Building in DC

[highplainsdem]

Source: ForeignPolicy.com

A fire could be seen burning in the back of the Russian diplomatic building in Washington, D.C. Friday evening, just one day after President Donald Trump ordered Moscow to scale back its diplomatic presence in the United States.

The Trade Representative of the Russian Federation, located on Connecticut Ave in northwest Washington, is one of several diplomatic buildings being shuttered as part of a tit-for-tat with Moscow. The building serves as both an office and a residence for Russian diplomatic staff.

Smoke and flames in the back were clearly visible starting late-afternoon Friday, and staff could be seen dumping what appeared to be paper into the fire. Earlier in the day, a workman scaled a wall in the back of the building with bolt cutters and removing security cameras.

-snip-

The fire at the DC diplomatic outpost followed similar reports at the Russian consulate in San Francisco, which is also being closed down. It also capped off over 24-hours of frenetic activity at the DC building that included people moving large boxes and piles of black garbage bags in the driveway, and then quickly packing them into cars.

-snip-

Read more: http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/09/01/fire-spotted-at-russian-diplomatic-building-in-dc/

[ailsagirl]

1. What, in DC too??

Just like SF

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Mueller is too close, they are panicking, like a bad movie.

This is simply astounding.

[Warpy]

9. I think you're right

Last edited Sat Sep 2, 2017, 01:54 AM - Edit history (1)

They know they left fingerprints when they hacked the US voting system, they've been told so. This looks like they're destroying all the evidence they can.

ETA: More thick black smoke. No pope.

[Frustratedlady]

2. This is strange after Trump wouldn't say anything against Russia or Putin...

Could these two buildings hold information pertaining to the Russian hacking/2016 election shenanigans from the Russian side? Is Trump's displeasure fake to cover up destroying that information?

See how Trump has made us suspicious of everything he does?

[mallard]

14. The anti-Russia BS has become ...

... one of the main avenues of distraction for a an American liberal left gone astray and having no gumption or grit to deal with the destructive internal forces making enemies on all the wrong sides, leaving several nations in ruin, putting entire populations on the run and birthing the likes of IS in the 'process'.

So the Russians have been given 48 hours to evacuate and are burning records. Speculation of foul play is part of this BS bandwagon and taken DU down to a level of practically supporting the neocon spin-masters and warmongers. What a shame.

[dhill926]

3. Anyone else think...

The decision by trump could have been a signal? Ok, you've got cover for burning all the records. Nothing would surprise me at this point...

[elleng]

5. Pretty weird.

[janx]

6. I cannot access this article.

The least a decent source could do is to give a glimpse before asking for a subscription.

[elleng]

8. 'The Trade Representative of the Russian Federation, located on Connecticut Ave in northwest

Washington, is one of several diplomatic buildings being shuttered as part of a tit-for-tat with Moscow. The building serves as both an office and a residence for Russian diplomatic staff.

EXCLUSIVE: Here's the fire in back of about to-be-closed DC Russia trade rep building. @janawinter on the scene. pic.twitter.com/oKoKX2OIBv

— Foreign Policy (@ForeignPolicy) September 1, 2017

Smoke and flames in the back were clearly visible starting late-afternoon Friday, and staff could be seen dumping what appeared to be paper into the fire. Earlier in the day, a workman scaled a wall in the back of the building with bolt cutters and removing security cameras.

The normally quiet building was also the scene of heavy vehicle traffic coming in and out of the driveway all day. Most of the lights were on Friday evening.

The fire at the DC diplomatic outpost followed similar reports at the Russian consulate in San Francisco, which is also being closed down. It also capped off over 24 hours of frenetic activity at the DC building that included shouting as people moved large boxes and piles of black garbage bags into the driveway, and then quickly packed them into cars.

Russia has until Saturday to vacate the building. The Russian flag was still flying as of 9 pm Friday.'

[janx]

10. Thank you Ellen.

[elleng]

11. You're welcome, janx.

It was easily available to me.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. Trump was told when to give them cover by "kicking them out"

So that it would be slightly less suspicious when they acted like this:

staff could be seen dumping what appeared to be paper into the fire. Earlier in the day, a workman scaled a wall in the back of the building with bolt cutters and removing security cameras.

The normally quiet building was also the scene of heavy vehicle traffic coming in and out of the driveway all day. Most of the lights were on Friday evening.

sez the article

[RussBLib]

12. burn the evidence

AIUI, this is not uncommon when embassies or consulates get closed.

If ashes could talk.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

16. Burn the stuff you don't want the CIA to see.

Then burn the stuff you don't want the KGB (or whatever it's called these days) to see.

Russian diplomats would probably worry more about their Moscow bosses seeing all the decadent capitalistic stuff (porn).

[vkkv]

13. paperz zee...

[Cold War Spook]

15. This is normal.

When I was in the army, every piece of paper was burned except any paper leaving the building was either by courier of coded by communications. Even books we brought in to read were never allowed to leave, but had to be burned.