On December 1, Spanish security services disclosed that three explosive devices disguised as mail parcels were intercepted. One of these packages was addressed to the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, and had been sent on November 24. Police briefed the National Court of Justice that Sánchez received an envelope containing pyrotechnic materials that were identified and neutralized by the security services protecting the presidency.
The Ministry of the Interior confirmed that the envelope intended for the head of government was posted from within Spain via ordinary mail. The blast device in this parcel had initially been discovered on November 24, and authorities chose not to disclose the incident publicly at that time.
A second, similar parcel reached the Ministry of Defense. El Mundo reported that the explosive mechanism inside the package, sent from Spanish territory, activates when a fishing line is pulled, triggering the device.
That same afternoon, security forces found a package of explosives at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid. The building was cordoned off as investigators assessed the threat. Europa Press noted that the envelope arrived at the embassy bore characteristics similar to the earlier parcels and was discovered by security services around 12:30 local time.
In the morning of December 1, another explosive package was located at the Torrejón Air Base near Madrid. El Mundo indicated that the package was directed at the Satellite Center housed within a military facility with shared NATO components at Torrejón de Ardoz.
Air base security detected a suspicious envelope between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m. After X-ray screening, officials determined the device might contain a mechanism. No injuries were reported.
The Civil Guard and the National Police secured the base and are examining the envelope to determine whether the incident is connected to other similar threats. The publication suggested that Spanish police viewed these events as part of a coordinated pattern.
Attack on arms company
The day prior, two more parcels of a similar nature were found. One letter was addressed to the weapon producer Instalaza, though it did not detonate. Instalaza manufactures rocket launchers, grenades, and night-vision equipment, with exports to more than 35 countries. In March, reports indicated that Spain supplied Ukraine with 700,000 rounds of ammunition for Instalaza grenade launchers and related small arms systems, according to ABC TV.
Until February 2022, Prime Minister Sánchez had opposed sending offensive weapons to Kyiv but changed course following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, arguing that a European response to the threat to Europe was necessary.
Explosion in front of the Ukrainian Embassy
On November 30, an explosion occurred at the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid around 1:00 p.m. local time (3:00 p.m. Moscow time). A package containing a homemade bomb was sent to Ukrainian Ambassador Sergei Pogoreltsev. The ambassador stated that the package’s sender could not be traced and that it did not resemble a diplomatic pouch, which raised embassy staff’s suspicions.
According to Pogoreltsev, a suspect object was contained within the box. A commander removed it to a secure yard before opening and immediately heard a click followed by an explosion, after which the package was discarded. The ambassador reported that the blast caused injuries to the commander, with the impact described as akin to being struck by a bullet. He emphasized that the injuries could have been more serious had staff not acted cautiously.
Pogoreltsev did not speculate on the perpetrator but noted that Spanish authorities promised thorough investigations. Ukrainian authorities later instructed to strengthen security at all Ukrainian embassies abroad, and the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman called on Madrid to intensify its inquiry into the attack on the Ukrainian diplomatic mission. Spanish officials treated the embassy incident as a terrorist attack, as reported by Europa Press.