Spanish officials tighten security after six explosive devices were mailed to high-profile figures

Spain has tightened security after six letter bombs were sent to high-profile targets in a campaign believed to be linked to the country’s support for Ukraine.

The PM of Spain, the defence ministry and a weapons manufacturer which provided rocket launchers to Ukraine were targeted as well as the US and Ukrainian embassies and a military base.

No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the home-made devices. 

The only casualty was a Ukrainian embassy official who needed hospital treatment for burns after opening an envelope containing gunpowder.

Ukraine has pledged to tighten security at its embassies around the world with its ambassador to Spain warning: ‘We have to be prepared for any kind of… Russian activity outside [Ukraine].’

Spanish policemen blocked the street. An employee of Ukraine’s embassy was ‘lightly’ injured on November 30 when a letter bomb blew up as he handled it

The Kremlin has not commented on the attacks, which are being treated as terrorist acts. But Russia’s embassy in Madrid posted a tweet condemning ‘any threat or terrorist act, particularly directed at a diplomatic mission’.

The first device was sent to the office of Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez on November 24 but was intercepted. Other letters are understood to have been delivered this week. 

Ukraine’s embassy in Madrid was sealed off after a letter addressed to the ambassador detonated on Wednesday afternoon and the US embassy was also cordoned off after it confirmed it had received a ‘suspicious package’.

The HQ of Instalaza, a weapons manufacturer which supplies C90 rocket launchers to Ukraine, was also targeted. Security forces also found a device mailed to a European Union satellite centre at the Torrejon de Ardoz air base, near Madrid.

The Kremlin has not commented on the attacks, which are being treated as terrorist acts. But Russia’s embassy in Madrid posted a tweet condemning ‘any threat or terrorist act, particularly directed at a diplomatic mission’. Pictured: Vladimir Putin yesterday

Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said the attacks would not succeed in ‘intimidating Ukrainian diplomats or stopping their daily work on strengthening Ukraine and countering Russian aggression’.

It came as Russia’s foreign minister accused the West of becoming directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine. Sergei Lavrov told reporters that by providing weapons and training, the US and Nato ‘aren’t taking part in this war, [they] are directly participating in it’.