Russian special services, with the help of far-right organizations, sent letters with explosives in Spain, as a result of which an employee of the Ukrainian embassy in Madrid was injured.

Also, representatives of the Spanish authorities received letter bombs. 

The New York Times writes about this with reference to high-ranking officials in the USA. 

The publication, citing unnamed high-ranking officials, reports that the Russian special services ordered the far-right supporters of the "white race" to send explosives in envelopes to the diplomatic offices and official authorities of Spain.

In this way, the Russians wanted to intimidate the West and warned Ukraine's partners that they were ready for terrorist acts in Europe. 

Investigators in Spain have focused their attention on the terrorist organization "Russian Imperial Movement", which probably maintains contacts with Russian intelligence.

Members of this group were in Spain, and the police there traced its connections to far-right Spanish organizations.

"The obvious purpose of the action was to signal that Russia and its proxies could carry out terrorist attacks across Europe, including the capitals of NATO member states," the report said. 

At the same time, the US is convinced that Russia is not yet ready to participate in terrorist attacks, as this could provoke NATO to an aggressive response. 

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Putin's calculations regarding terrorist attacks may change if Russia continues to suffer major setbacks in Ukraine.

Putin has given his military intelligence agency broad powers to design and conduct covert operations in Europe, but they say it is unclear how involved the Kremlin was in the letter-bombing operation. 

The coordinator of the State Department for combating terrorism in the Trump administration, Nathan Sales, believes that in this way Russia is signaling to the West that it is ready for terrorist attacks in Europe. 

U.S. officials suspect that the Russian officers involved in the Spain attacks are part of the 161st Special Forces Training Center, which is headquartered in eastern Moscow and includes Unit 29155.

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American and British intelligence officials worked with the Spanish National Police and counterintelligence on the investigation. 

According to US officials, their suspicions about the Russian Imperial Movement and the GRU converged at the end of last year, shortly after the discovery of the bombs. 

Sending explosives in letters: what is known 

On November 30, a package with explosives arrived to the Ukrainian ambassador to Spain, Serhiy Pogoreltsev.

His secretary suspected danger and called a security guard.

Then one of the employees of the diplomatic service was injured. 

On the same day, a similar package arrived at the headquarters of the Spanish arms manufacturer Instalaza.

It is there that they produce anti-aircraft missiles that are handed over to Ukraine.

On December 1, it became known that explosives were also found in letters addressed to the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez.

On the same day, a letter similar to five previous bomb letters arrived at the US Embassy in Madrid.

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