POLICE IN LONDON were “forced to open fire” outside Ukraine’s embassy in West London after a vehicle “deliberately” rammed the ambassador’s parked car multiple times.
Met police confirmed that upon arrival at the scene, shortly after 8.30am, the car was driven towards police officers.
Police firearms and taser were discharged in the process of stopping the vehicle. A man in his 40s was arrested at the scene.
The man has since been taken to a central London hospital but he was not injured, according to Met police.
An official statement from the Ukrainian embassy confirmed that the official vehicle of the ambassador of Ukraine to the UK was “deliberately rammed” as it sat parked in front of the embassy.
The police were called immediately, and the suspect’s vehicle was blocked up. Nevertheless, despite the police actions, the attacker hit the ambassador’s car again.
In response to the ramming, the embassy said police were “forced to open fire on the perpetrator’s vehicle”.
Met police confirmed that the incident is not being treated as terrorist-related.
Chief Superintendent Andy Walker, from the Met’s Specialist Firearms Command, said: ”As is standard procedure, an investigation is now ongoing into the discharge of a police firearm during this incident.
“I would like to pay tribute to the officers involved this morning who responded swiftly to this incident and put themselves in harm’s way, as they do every day, to keep the people of London safe.”
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