There have been protests outside the Russian consulate in Odessa today. At least one person has been injured during scuffles as protesters demand for the Russian tricolour to be taken down.

UNIAN reports that around 200 people arrived outside the consulate at around 15:00 (12:00 GMT). Both the Ukrainian flag and the black and red flag of the Ukrainian nationalists were seen amongst the crowd. The organisers told journalists that they wanted to lay a wreath in memory of Ukrainian soldiers killed in the east at the door of the consulate.

Several hundred law enforcement officers arrived and formed cordons. Attempts by some of the protesters to bring tires (presumably to set on fire or build a barricade) to the consulate were prevented.

At least one man was injured in the crush between the protesters and camouflaged men in body armour who protected the site along with the police. The man sustained a head wound.

Ukrainska Pravda reports that four protesters had been arrested. The governor of the oblast, Igor Palitsa, announced that explosives and a knife had been found. One of those arrested is not a resident of Odessa. They were allegedly operating “under the guise of being Praviy Sector activists”. An official said that:

“This was an obvious provocation, which the police have stopped.”