Explosion at Ukraine embassy in Madrid injures one person, officials say

An explosion occurred at Ukraine’s embassy in Madrid, injuring one employee who was handling a letter, the Spanish Interior Ministry said on November 30.

The individual was slightly injured and is being treated at hospital, while police are investigating, CNN reports.

Police say it is too early to know whether the explosion took place when the embassy worker tried to open an envelope, or simply move it.

Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesperson for Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, said of the injured employee: “His life is not at risk.”

Nikolenko described the staffer’s position as “commandant.” He said no one else had been injured, and that security has been stepped up at every Ukrainian embassy.

Kuleba “has issued an urgent instruction to step up security at all Ukrainian embassies abroad,” Nikolenko said.

“Whoever is behind this explosion they will not succeed in intimidating Ukrainian diplomats or stopping their daily work to strengthen Ukraine and to counter Russian aggression,” Nikolenko quoted Kuleba as saying.

Spain, a NATO country, has sent military equipment to Ukraine to help its armed forces fight Russia’s invasion.

The Ukrainian embassy is located in the Hortaleza in northeastern Madrid.