“Bloody packages” containing animal eyes sent to Ukrainian diplomatic missions all came from Germany, Ukraine’s foreign minister has revealed.
There have been 31 “suspicious or threatening” items sent to embassies in 15 countries, including Italy, Austria, Kazakhstan and the United States, reported the BBC.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba initially pointed the finger of blame at Moscow. Asked by CNN last week who he thought was responsible, Kuleba replied that he felt “tempted” to “name Russia” because “first of all you have to answer the question, who benefits?”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
However, German news website DW has reported that Kyiv now believes the “grizzly” packages were sent from Germany. Kuleba said the sender address for each of the envelopes was a Tesla car dealership in Sindelfingen in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg.
“Usually, the shipment was made from post offices that were not equipped with video surveillance systems,” Kuleba said. “Criminals took measures not to leave traces of their DNA on the packages”, which “indicates the professional level of implementation”.
He added that the campaign is “aimed at sowing fear and terrorising Ukrainian diplomats” but the precise message of the packages remains unclear. “We are studying the meaning of this message,” said Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Oleg Nikolenko.
The flurry of packages comes after other intimidating incidents. A security guard at the Ukrainian embassy in Madrid was injured while opening a parcel addressed to the ambassador, noted ABC News, and Ukraine’s ambassador to the Vatican said that the entrance to his Rome residence was vandalised with animal faeces.
“I don’t remember any instance in history that so many embassies and consulates of one country have been subjected to such mass attacks in such a short period of time,” said Kuleba.
-
Taking aim at Venezuela’s autocratFeature The Trump administration is ramping up military pressure on Nicolás Maduro. Is he a threat to the U.S.?
-
Comey indictment: Is the justice system broken?Feature U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of lying and obstructing Congress
-
Government shuts down amid partisan deadlockFeature As Democrats and Republicans clash over health care and spending, the shutdown leaves 750,000 federal workers in limbo
-
US tipped to help Kyiv strike Russian energy sitesSpeed Read Trump has approved providing Ukraine with intelligence for missile strikes on Russian energy infrastructure
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
Russian strike on Kyiv kills 23, hits EU officesSpeed Read The strike was the second-largest since Russia invaded in 2022
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Kyiv marks independence as Russia downplays peaceSpeed Read President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelenskyy for peace talks pushed by President Donald Trump
-
What will security guarantees for Ukraine look like?Today's Big Question From boots on the ground to economic sanctions, here are the measures that might stop Russia taking another bite out of Ukraine
-
Russia tries Ukraine land grab before Trump summitSpeed Read The incursion may be part of Putin's efforts to boost his bargaining position
