El Mundo reported that Spanish security services found three packages of explosives disguised as correspondence on 1 December. One of the packages was addressed to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and was sent to him on 24 November.
“Police have informed the National Court of Justice that they have sent Sanchez an envelope containing pyrotechnic materials that were located and neutralized by the presidential administration’s security services,” the report says.
The Ministry of Interior said that the envelope addressed to the head of government was sent by regular mail from Spain. This bomb was almost first found on November 24, but they decided not to make the event public.
Another similar package reached the Spanish Ministry of Defense. According to El Mundo, the explosive mechanism in the parcel, also sent from Spanish territory, is activated when someone pulls the fishing line that ties it.
That afternoon, a package of explosives was found at the US embassy in Madrid. The building was cordoned off. Europa Press writes that the envelope that arrived at the embassy had “similar features to its predecessors” and was discovered by security services around 12:30 local time.
On the morning of December 1, an explosive package was found at the airbase in Torrejon de Ardoz.
El Mundo states that the package is intended for the Satellite Center located at a military facility. There are facilities shared with NATO at Torrejon de Ardoz.
“Airbase security systems detected a suspicious envelope between 3:00 am and 4:00 am. “After the X-ray analysis, it was determined that it may contain some kind of mechanism,” he said. No harm.
The Civil Guard and National Police entered the base to secure the area. Investigators examine the envelope to find out if the incident is about others.
The publication states that the Spanish police considered the events as connected.
Attack on arms company
The day before, two more similar parcels were discovered. The letter was written to the weapons company Instalaza, it did not explode.
Instalaza manufactures rocket launchers, grenades and night vision goggles. The company’s products are exported to more than 35 countries. In March, the Spanish government sent to Ukraine 700,000 rounds of ammunition for Instalaza grenade launchers and rifles, machine guns and submachine guns, ABC TV reported.
Until February 2022, Prime Minister Sanchez opposed sending offensive weapons to Kiev, but supported this move after Russian troops entered Ukraine: “We must give a European response to the threat to Europe.”
Explosion in front of the Ukrainian Embassy
On 30 November, an explosion occurred at the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid at around 13:00 local time (3:00 Moscow time). A package containing a homemade bomb was sent to the Ukrainian Ambassador, Sergei Pogoreltsev.
According to him, the source of the explosion was the package. There was no return address on the package and it didn’t look like a diplomatic bag. This fact aroused the suspicions of the embassy staff.
“There was a box in the package, so the commander got suspicious and went out into the yard with this “mail” before opening it himself – so that no one would be around. And as soon as I opened it, I heard something click there, I immediately threw it, and even then I heard an explosion, ”said Pogoreltsev.
The ambassador said the commander suffered hand injuries and “something like being struck by a bullet”. The diplomat believes that the consequences of the explosion could have been more serious if his subordinates were not careful.
Pogoreltsev did not speculate as to who might have sent the explosive package, but noted that Spanish authorities promised to make every effort to investigate.
“Minister [иностранных дел Украины] Dmitry Kuleba instructed to urgently strengthen the security of all Ukrainian embassies abroad. “He also appealed to his Spanish counterpart to take steps to investigate the attack on the Ukrainian diplomatic mission,” said Oleg Nikolenko, spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.
Spanish authorities consider the explosion at the Ukrainian embassy a terrorist attack, Europa Press agency reported.