Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are investigating an explosion on the territory of the US embassy in Kyiv overnight to June 8, the SBU security service said in a statement.
No one was hurt by the blast, which was initially classified by the SBU service as "a terrorist act". However, later the explosion has been re-qualified for "malicious hooliganism", the Communications Department of the National Police of Ukraine told reporters.
The move followed a statement by the US diplomatic mission saying that it does not consider the explosion as an act of terrorism. "The embassy closely cooperates with our partners from local law enforcement agencies in the investigation of this incident," the statement said.
The Ukrainian National Guard and police increased security around the embassy site while the foreign ministry condemned the incident, local media reported.
Over the past weeks, Ukraine was hit by a wave of serious street incidents. On May 30, the former acting director of the state-owned spirits conglomerate Ukrspyrt Viktor Pankov was shot down in Kyiv. Two days later, Chechen-born military commander Adam Osmayev survived a shootout in the capital.
An enormous illegal arms market operates across Ukraine, creating additional risks of instability in the war-torn former Soviet republic.
Related Articles
Ukrainian banks post record growth in hryvnia business lending
Ukraine’s banking sector recorded a historic increase in hryvnia-denominated commercial lending in April, driven largely by financing for the defence industry, energy projects and agriculture, ... more
EIB plans €80mn investment in Ukraine-focused Amber Dragon fund
The European Investment Bank plans to invest €80mn in the Amber Dragon European Fund for Ukraine, a flagship reconstruction and private-sector investment vehicle targeting infrastructure and ... more
Ukraine secures financing for wartime energy storage and bioenergy projects
Ukraine has secured financing for a major energy storage facility backed by international insurance coverage, while plans are advancing for a new bioenergy complex in the country’s west, as Kyiv ... more