Romanian Lawyer Dies Crashing Car into Russian Embassy

A lawyer who identified as Ukrainian and who had received a prison sentence died on Wednesday after ramming his car into the main gate of the Russian embassy in Bucharest and detonating an explosive.

Firefighters were needed to put out the blaze. The driver, lawyer Bogdan Draghici, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the rape and corruption of minors on Tuesday. However, the verdict was not final and could be appealed.

Police are considering whether it was a deliberate suicide because a fire broke out immediately after police ordered the driver to get out of the car.

The case prosecutor said the driver set himself on fire inside the car after hitting the gate of the embassy. "The driver detonated an explosive device," the prosecutor said. Investigators found containers with flammable substances in the car, he added.

The investigation has been taken over by the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Bucharest Tribunal and the Murder Service of the capital.

In his last post on Facebook, Draghici wrote: "I am Ukrainian too! It would be wonderful to consider all of us Ukrainians until this horrible war that threatens all humankind with death is over!"

Draghici became known to the public as president of the "TATA" Association, an NGO that defends fathers' rights over their children in divorce proceedings.

Prosecutors detained Draghici in August 2019 for alleged rape and sexual assault. He was held for almost a year. He was accused of sexually assaulting his minor daughter.

The Russian embassy has not issued an official reaction so far.