Animal eyes soaked in blood have been sent to Ukrainian embassies and consulates around Europe. Photo: Freepik (illustrative photo).
Brno/Kyiv, Dec 2 (CTK) – This morning, six employees were evacuated from the Ukrainian consulate in Brno on Barvicova, following the discovery of a suspicious object in the building. However, no detonation system was eventually found there, police spokesman David Chaloupka told journalists.
The package included dead animal tissue, Chaloupka said.
Ukraine’s embassies and consulates in several European countries, including the Czech Republic, have received blood-stained packages with animal eyes, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nykolenko wrote on Facebook today.
Nykolenko said that after a series of letter bombs uncovered in Spain in recent days, blood-stained packages with animal eyes were delivered to the Ukrainian embassies in Hungary, Poland, Croatia, Italy and Austria, general consulates in Naples and Krakow and the consulate in Brno.
The packages were apparently soaked with blood, Nykolenko said, adding that the meaning of the message was being examined. The police said the type of package was similar to those found in Spain.
Barvicova street was closed temporarily due to the suspicious package, and a nearby day-centre was also evacuated. Both had been reopened by noon.
“The envelope did not include any planted detonation system. We have no information of any danger to the consulate staff or the immediate vicinity. Nevertheless, there is still a warning in place of mail checks at consulates and arms makers,” the police tweeted.
The police, firefighters, an ambulance and an evacuation bus were at the scene of the incident. Police specialists were recovering fingerprints from the mailbox.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry sent information to the consulate that it should be on alert. When staff saw a package with characteristic signs in the mail, they called the police who arrived almost instantly, consul Anna Proskova said.
“Our consul in Brno called the police as the package in the mail seemed suspicious to her,” Ukrainian embassy spokeswoman Tetiana Okopna told CTK this morning. “The police came immediately. The consulate and adjoining buildings were evacuated.”
She said all diplomatic offices had to observe security protocols. “At the embassy we have a person in charge of security affairs. At the consulate in Brno, it is the consul who is responsible for it and she went by the instructions that were duly set,” Okopna said.
In recent days, several letter bombs were discovered in Spain. The incidents are obviously connected with the war in Ukraine.
The weekly magazine Respekt warned about the incident on Twitter.
“This is a suspicious object, we are finding out what it may be. The staff, six employees, were evacuated from the building,” Chaloupka said. “We are checking the consignment by x-ray. Along with firefighters, we have evacuated the building and the closest surroundings including a day-care centre,” the police said.
The police also called on all staff of consulates in the Czech Republic and arms-making companies to be extremely cautious when checking the mail. In case of any doubts, they should call the police emergency line 158.
