A 74-year-old pensioner has been arrested in the Spanish municipality of Miranda de Ebro. He is suspected of sending letters with explosives to the Ukrainian embassy

The pensioner was detained in the city of Burgos on Wednesday, January 25th. He is suspected of sending at least six letters with pyrotechnic materials in late November and early December 2022.

What is known about the suspect

According to media reports, the arrested 74-year-old man is a Spanish citizen. Before retiring, he worked as a civil servant in the city council of Vitoria.

The investigation indicates that he allegedly acted alone and is not known to have been associated with any group. The police are searching his house in the city of Burgos.

Note that all letters were sent from Valladolid and contained improvised devices. They activated a small charge of gunpowder with a flash line. Metal parts were also inserted there – tiny balls, like shrapnel.

What is known about letters with explosives

• On November 30, an explosion was heard at the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid. Later, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry noted that an envelope with explosives had been sent to the embassy. The letter exploded in the commandant's hands as he examined it. He received minor injuries. The man was hospitalized.
• Ukrainian Ambassador to Spain Serhiy Pogoreltsev noted that the letter was addressed to him personally. But since it aroused suspicion among the employees of the institution, at first another employee who was also responsible for security took care of it.
• The OP stated that Russian special services were behind this terrorism.
• Attack against Ukrainian diplomats in Madrid was not the only one. On the same day, the Spanish company Instalaza received a package containing a likely explosive device in Zaragoza.
• The head of the Spanish government, Pedro Sanchez, as well as the Ministry of Defense and the Torrejon de Ardoz air base, received two explosive devices. The National Police of the country reported that an envelope with explosives sent to Sanchez was discovered and defused on November 24. The Ministry of Defense received such a letter on December 1.
• The Spanish Ministry of Defense commented on the packages with explosives. The department noted that the country will continue to support Ukraine in the war with Russia and will continue to provide financial and military assistance to our state.