MOSCOW – Security measures at Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow went in highalert after a mortar shell was discovered in the luggage of a US Embassyemployee heading to London.

The Russian Foreign Ministry called the incident a serious ‘provocation’and demanded an explanation from the US State Department, RT reported.

The eyebrow-raising discovery of ‘an object resembling a mortar shell witha fuse’ was made on Saturday morning. It triggered a major security alertand a bomb squad was called in.