Russian smoke: Kremlin knocks S.F. Spare the Air violation as ‘Russophobic stunt’

The Russian government isn’t taking too kindly to charges that its consulate illegally burned garbage on a Spare the Air day after being kicked out of its Cow Hollow digs in San Francisco by the Trump administration.

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday called the notice of violation issued by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District “another Russophobic stunt,” according to the Russian news agency Tass.

“An anti-Russian performance in the United States is taking place,” said Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, as reported by the news agency.

The Air Quality Management District accused the Russians on Tuesday of setting ablaze unknown materials in the fireplace of their Green Street consulate on Sept. 1, the day after the Trump administration ordered the building closed.

Photographs of smoke billowing from the chimney appeared on social media as temperatures in San Francisco soared to a record 106 degrees, prompting an inspector to rush to the scene. A Spare the Air day had been declared, but there is no specific prohibition against using a fireplace in the summer, so the air district charged the Russians with illegally burning garbage.

“The show running at the moment is called Russians Poison San Francisco. Why?” asked Zakharova, who also took issue with the air district for failing to mention the sum of the fine. “One of the reasons behind it is to excuse the barbaric actions by U.S. secret services on the premises of the Russian consulate general.”

It wasn’t clear what barbaric actions she was referring to nor whether the ministry intended to pay the fine.