Russia asks for explanation from U.S. on 'provocative' empty bomb

Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow said security discovered a mortar shell in the luggage of a U.S. Embassy employee heading to New York on Saturday. Russia's Foreign Ministry said the incident was a “provocation” and demanded explanation.

"Bomb disposal experts who arrived at the scene confirmed that the object is indeed a mortar shell fitted with a detonator but devoid of explosive material, even though traces of explosives were present inside its casing,” Russian Foreign Ministry officials said in a statement published by government-owned outlets.

The ministry's statement claimed that "the United States seems to be trying to test the reliability of ensuring Russia's security not only from the outside, regularly arranging provocative raids of warships and airplanes near our borders, but also from the inside, and with the involvement of the staff of (its) embassy."

RT reported that only small traces of a blasting agent remained inside and the U.S. citizen explained that he bought the bomb without an explosive compound for his "private collection."

(CGTN)