The Madrid scene followed a serious incident at the Ukrainian Embassy, with confirmation that the victim is a Ukrainian citizen. The report came from Europa Press, citing police sources in Spain.
The diplomat sustained a minor injury to the right hand and sought medical attention on his own at Nuestra Señora de America Hospital. The Ukrainian ambassador, Sergei Pogoreltsev, confirmed that the individual was admitted for treatment in stable condition.
According to a law enforcement source cited by La Vanguardia, the improvised explosive device was inside an envelope accompanied by a letter addressed to the Ukrainian ambassador. The ambassador clarified that it was the package itself that exploded, not merely the envelope containing it.
The newspaper Strana reported that the package bore no return address and did not resemble official diplomatic mail, a detail that initially raised concerns among embassy staff.
It was the embassy employee who received the package who then handed it to a security guard. The guard, seeking caution, stepped outside with the item into the courtyard and opened it there. Moments later there was a flash, and the guard immediately discarded the object, hearing the blast shortly after.
Doctors noted that the employee who opened the package suffered not only a wound but also a serious concussion and multiple injuries to the hands.
The incident occurred around 13:00 local time in Madrid, with the embassy located at Ronda de la Abubilla, 52, in the northeast part of the city. Forensic teams, canine units, and TEDEX specialists were deployed to the scene. Police cordoned off the area and a local counterterrorism unit took charge of operations.
Spanish authorities are treating the explosion at the Ukrainian embassy as an act of terrorism.
Kuleba’s directive
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba ordered an urgent reinforcement of security at all Ukrainian embassies. Following the Madrid incident, Kuleba contacted Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares to request a thorough investigation. Spanish law enforcement is currently conducting inquiries at the site.
A spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Oleg Nikolenko, underscored on social media that those behind the blast should not deter Ukrainian diplomats in their daily duties. He emphasized that Ukraine will continue to strengthen its presence and counter Russian aggression.
Attacks on Russian missions
In 2022, after Russia launched a large-scale military operation in Ukraine, several Russian embassies faced attacks in various countries. On February 26, unidentified assailants targeted Russian diplomatic missions in Poland and Ireland.
In Warsaw, activists defaced the embassy sign with paint and shattered windows by firing metal projectiles at them. In Dublin, protesters near the Russian embassy reportedly removed a symbol of the Russian Federation from the building and damaged a diplomatic vehicle belonging to staff members.
In March, a truck breached the gates of the Russian Embassy in Ireland, resulting in the driver’s arrest. Later, in November, unknown individuals threw flares and Molotov cocktails at the grounds of the Russian embassy in Warsaw.