Portugal Colonial - Ukraine embassy guard in Madrid 'lightly' injured by letter bomb

The letter, which arrived by regular post, exploded as the guard opened it in the embassy garden, said the central government's representative in Madrid, Mercedes Gonzalez.

The guard was discharged from hospital later Wednesday and returned to work, Ukraine's ambassador to Spain, Serhii Pohoreltsev, said.

In an interview with Spanish state television, Pohoreltsev appeared to blame Russia: "We are well aware of the terrorist methods of the aggressor country," he said.

"Russia's methods and attacks require us to be ready for any kind of incident, provocation or attack," he added.

Spain's National Police force were informed of an explosion at the embassy at around 1:00 pm (1200 GMT), a police source said.

The source said the guard was "lightly" injured and "went himself to a hospital" for treatment.

Police put a security cordon around the embassy, which is in a leafy residential area in northern Madrid.

A man who lives in front of the embassy, who asked not to be identified, told AFP he had heard the explosion.

"I thought it was gunshot. It was not too loud," he said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba ordered the strengthening of security at all Ukrainian embassies, Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said on social media after the letter bomb went off.

Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares spoke with the ambassador over the phone "to ask about the well-being of the Ukrainian worker who was injured," the Spanish foreign ministry said in a statement.

Albares also contacted Kuleba by phone to express his "support and solidarity", it added.

F.Cardoso--PC