Port of Beirut: Russia gives Lebanon satellite images before and after the explosion
The port of Beirut in the aftermath of the devastating explosion, August 5, 2020 © AP - Hussein Malla
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2 min
More than a year after the double explosion at the port of Beirut, Lebanon obtained satellite images of the site.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov handed photos to his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib, visiting Moscow.
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With our correspondent in Beirut,
Paul Khalifeh
Russia's decision to hand over satellite photos of the port of Beirut aims to "
help the investigation into the causes of the explosion
", explained Sergei Lavrov while receiving his Lebanese counterpart.
The Russian Foreign Minister clarified that the satellite photos were taken in the spring of 2020, several months before the tragedy, and after
the blast on August 4
.
The explosion of an enormous quantity of ammonium nitrate, stored at the port of Beirut, had left more than 215 dead and devastated entire neighborhoods of the Lebanese capital.
"
The Roscosmos researchers say that the experts should be able to understand, from the nature of the destruction, what it is, what could be linked
" to this tragedy, Sergey Lavrov said.
#Russia has sent #Lebanon the satellite images it has for # Beirut's port before and after a huge #explosion rocked it last year, #Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with his Lebanese counterpart in #Moscow on Monday.
Read more: https://t.co/EtF6Q7ptow
- MAJALLA (@the_majalla) November 22, 2021
No satellite image at the time of the explosion
A few days after the explosion of hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate stored at the port of Beirut for years without precautionary measures, Lebanon asked France for the images taken by its surveillance satellites.
The response from Paris was that the satellites were not operational in the port area at the time of the tragedy.
The United States has not been of much help either.
The lack of satellite images fueled for months the hypothesis of a missile fire that would have caused the devastating explosion.
A theory reinforced by what seemed to be the roar of a plane heard by some of the inhabitants of Beirut just seconds before the double explosion.
Satellite images taken at the time of the tragedy could have shed light on what really happened on August 4, 2020. This is not the case with the photos provided by Russia.
They will not be of much use in advancing the investigation, as Vladimir Putin acknowledged at the end of October.
Today, the thesis of the accident, caused by the negligence of political and administrative leaders, seems privileged.
However, it will be necessary to wait for the indictment to be clear about it.
With this gesture of good will, Russia wants to position itself in the list of countries interested in the reconstruction of the port of Beirut, estimated at several billion dollars.
The possibility of seeing "
Russian companies participating in the restoration of infrastructure damaged following the explosions
" was also raised between the two ministers.
►
To read also: One year after the deadly explosion, Beirut is struggling to heal its wounds
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