By Oyintari Ben
On Wednesday, letter bombs were delivered to the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid and a Spanish arms manufacturer whose products are being used by Kyiv to defend itself against Russia.
The former delivery resulted in a slight injury to a staff member at the diplomatic mission.
As a staff member attempted to open an envelope brought to the embassy addressed to Ambassador Serhii Pohoreltsev, it exploded, according to spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Oleg Nikolenko. The worker received medical attention for non-life-threatening injuries. No other diplomatic employees were hurt. On Wednesday, it was seen that Spanish police had surrounded the embassy’s property.
The employee’s right hand finger sustained minor injuries, according to the Spanish newspaper El Pas. The newspaper reported, citing authorities that the letter was sent in an 18-by-10-cm envelope with the address and recipient’s name scribbled in blue ink.
Another parcel was sent to Instalaza, the company that makes the C90 grenade launchers that the Spanish government provided to Ukraine to aid in self-defence. El Pas claims that local law enforcement set the package off.
According to Nikolenko, the spokesman, Dmytro Kuleba, the foreign minister of Ukraine, has directed the nation’s embassies to bolster security following the assault. Kuleba also declared that the attackers would not use intimidation tactics against Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Kyiv has also requested that Madrid launch an immediate investigation into the attack.
El Pas reports that Spanish authorities are looking into potential connections between the two devices and determining whether they are connected to the Russian incursion.
The attack was denounced by the Spanish embassy in Ukraine in a statement, which also emphasized the need to prosecute the attackers.
