Copyright © 2021 Euromaidanpress.com

The work of Euromaidan Press is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation

When referencing our materials, please include an active hyperlink to the Euromaidan Press material and a maximum 500-character extract of the story. To reprint anything longer, written permission must be acquired from [email protected].

Privacy and Cookie Policies.

Russian agents suspected of directing far-right group to mail bombs in Spain – NYT

US and EU officials believe that Russian military intelligence officers directed associates of a white supremacist militant group based in Russia to carry out a recent letter bomb campaign in Spain whose most prominent targets were the Ukrainian and American embassies, the Spanish prime and defense ministers, according to The New York Times referring to US officials.

In late November and early December, six letter bombs were sent in Spain to the official residence of the country’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, the American and Ukrainian embassies; and the Spanish Defense Ministry. One of the letter bombs was sent to Instalaza, a weapons maker in Zaragoza that manufactures grenade launchers that Spain is giving to Ukraine, and another went to the Torrejón de Ardoz Air Base outside Madrid.

No one was killed in the attacks, but an employee of the Ukrainian Embassy was injured when one of the packages exploded. US officials consider the attacks terrorism.

Later multiple Ukrainian diplomatic missions received threats which included packages with blood and animal eyes.

Mail terrorism: Four Ukrainian embassies, Spanish institutions helping Ukraine receive letter bombs, threats

The officials told NYT that the investigators in recent weeks have focused on the Russian Imperial Movement, a radical group that has members and associates across Europe and military-style training centers in St. Petersburg. It is believed to have ties to Russian intelligence agencies, and the US State Department designated it a global terrorist organization. The Spanish police tracked the organization’s ties with far-right Spanish organizations.

NYT says that the apparent aim of the action was to signal that Russia and its proxies could carry out terrorist strikes across Europe, including in the capitals of NATO member states, which is helping defend Ukraine against Russia’s invasion, said the US officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivities around the investigation.

Read also:

Mail terrorism: Four Ukrainian embassies, Spanish institutions helping Ukraine receive letter bombs, threats

Spanish police believe origin of letter bombs was city of Valladolid in northwest Spain – Reuters

Germans urged to join Foreign Legion in forged letters ostensibly sent by Ukraine’s Consulate General – MFA

 

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.  We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!
Total
0
Shares