Madrid, Spain

A security guard at the Ukrainian embassy in Madrid received minor injuries, after reading a letter bomb on Wednesday that was addressed to the Ukrainian ambassador. This incident prompted Kyiv to increase security at its embassies. 

Advertisment

According to Mercedes Gonzalez, a representative of the central government in Madrid, the letter that had been sent via ordinary mail detonated as the guard opened it on the embassy grounds. "Fortunately it was not serious, the person has a small injury to his right hand. The letter was addressed to the ambassador," she stated in an interview with Telemadrid TV.

According to a police source, the individual "went himself to a hospital" for treatment after suffering "light" injuries. The explosion at the Ukrainian embassy in Madrid was reported to Spain's National Police force at around 1:00 pm (1200 GMT), the source continued. 

The source claimed without going into further detail that police had started an inquiry "which includes the participation of forensic police." Police established a security perimeter around the embassy, which is situated in a quiet neighbourhood in northern Madrid.

Advertisment

A resident of the area in front of the embassy who wished to remain unnamed told AFP that after going outside to walk his dogs, police were now stopping him from going back inside. He claimed, "I heard it, I thought it was a gunshot, it was not too loud." 

Also Read: EU to set up tribunal backed by UN to investigate possible Russian war crimes in Ukraine

After the mail bomb went off, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian foreign ministry, Oleg Nikolenko, said on social media that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had ordered the stepping up of security at all Ukrainian embassies. 

Advertisment

Jose Manuel Albares, the foreign minister of Spain, spoke over the phone with the ambassador of Ukraine to Spain "to ask about the well-being of the Ukrainian worker who was injured," according to a statement from the Spanish foreign ministry. Additionally, Albares phoned Kuleba to offer his "support and solidarity", it added.

(with inputs from agencies)