The Ukrainian embassy in Washington, D.C. Was evacuated Friday morning after U.S. Secret Service agents found a suspicious object near the diplomatic compound.
Denys Sienik, the Ukrainian charge d’affaires, confirmed to The Post that the discovery triggered a full evacuation and the deployment of a bomb squad to the scene. The object was spotted at approximately 8:40 a.m., drawing a multi-agency response that included the Metropolitan Police Department alongside federal officers.
Sienik later provided an all-clear message after law enforcement completed their inspection. “Following an inspection, U.S. Law enforcement reported that the object discovered near the Embassy poses no threat; the area around the diplomatic mission has been reopened.Consular services will resume shortly,” he wrote.
The security scare rippled beyond the embassy grounds. A Secret Service spokesperson said that authorities “out of an abundance of caution, closed several roads and the Key Bridge.” The Key Bridge spans the Potomac River and serves as a critical artery connecting Washington to Virginia, making its shutdown a significant disruption to Friday morning traffic.
The same spokesperson noted that the investigation remained active even after the object was cleared. “The investigation is ongoing and additional details will be forthcoming,” the spokesperson added.
The incident unfolded against a backdrop of delicate international maneuvering. The Biden administration has been engaged in separate sets of negotiations with both Ukraine and Russia aimed at finding a path to end Moscow’s military campaign against Kyiv, which has now stretched past the four-year mark.
Diplomatic facilities worldwide have faced heightened security concerns amid the ongoing conflict, though Friday’s evacuation in Washington was resolved without injury or confirmed threat. The speed of the all-clear allowed consular operations to plan a quick return to normal scheduling.
The Secret Service has not publicly described the nature of the suspicious object or what initially drew agents’ attention to it. The spokesperson’s statement that details would follow suggests a fuller accounting may emerge as the investigation progresses.