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Spain Investigating Letter Bombs Sent to Prime Minister, Ukraine Embassy

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Police officers stand guard as other officers in yellow vests walk back at the cordoned off area next to Ukraine's embassy in Madrid, Spain, Nov. 30, 2022.
Police officers stand guard as other officers in yellow vests walk back at the cordoned off area next to Ukraine's embassy in Madrid, Spain, Nov. 30, 2022.

Ukraine’s foreign minister said Thursday a letter bomb sent to the Ukrainian embassy in Madrid was act of terror and pledged to ensure that those responsible receive the maximum punishment.

Authorities in Spain say the bomb was one of several that went to various addresses around the Spanish capital, including that of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and intercepted. The one that arrived at the Ukrainian embassy exploded Wednesday, injuring an employee.

Speaking on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Romania, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the letter bomb was a very serious matter, and they were carefully following it.

He said, “This is an attack against the diplomatic establishment that is defended by international law,” and he had ordered all foreign diplomatic Ukrainian establishments to immediately increase security measures.

Kuleba pledged to “defend each Ukrainian not only in Ukraine, but also abroad with all available means.”

Spanish officials said packages also arrived Thursday at Spain’s defense ministry and the Torrejon de Ardoz air base. Another package arrived Wednesday at Instalaza, a company that makes grenade launchers Spain has sent to Ukraine.

The investigation into who sent the packages is continuing.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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