We are expecting to hear from the Slovak police who are about to hold a press conference outside the hospital where Prime Minister Robert Fico is being treated.

You can watch it live by pressing the Play button above, while we will bring you all the updates.

Image source, Getty Images

Since before Slovakia became an independent country in 1993, Robert Fico has been a mainstay of Slovak politics.

But in recent years, the 59-year-old's foreign policy has drawn criticism from the West as have his increasingly pro-Russian views been at odds with those of fellow Nato-member countries.

On the campaign trail last October, he made clear his position on sending weapons to Ukraine - "Not a single round" - and has since made good on those promises, as his coalition halted official shipments of arms to the country after he was elected.

He's been a vocal opponent of the sanctions imposed on Russia, while continuing to threaten vetoing any future Nato membership invite for Ukraine.

Fico has been accused of cosying up to figures like Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, which has led some analysts to speculate that he might be trying to steal a page from the regime of a leader described by the European Parliament as running a "hybrid regime of electoral autocracy".

"We see Viktor Orban as one of those European politicians who do not fear to openly defend the interests of Hungary and Hungarian people," Fico told Reuters last year.

• President Biden condemned the "horrific act of violence" and said the US embassy is in "close touch" with the Slovakian government and is "ready to assist"
• Russian president Vladimir Putin said there "can be no justification for this monstrous crime" and, in a telegram to Slovak president Zuzana Caputova, said Robert Fico was "a courageous and strong-minded man"
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesperson said "the Secretary-General strongly condemns the shocking attack carried out today"
• The European Council's president Charles Michel said "nothing can ever justify violence or such attacks"
• Posting on X, French president Emmanuel Macron "strongly condemns" the attack on Robert Fico and said his "thoughts and solidarity are with him, his family and the people of Slovakia"
• Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni is in "deep shock" at the "cowardly attack" and expressed "the strongest condemnation of all forms of violence and attacks on the cardinal principles of democracy and freedom"

Slovakia was already in political turmoilpublished at 17:40 British Summer Time 15 May

17:40 BST 15 May

Rob Cameron
BBC Prague Correspondent

Image source, Reuters

The attempt on Robert Fico’s life comes as Slovakia experiences yet another period of political turmoil – turmoil that he himself has largely created.

The shooting came on the day parliament began discussing in earnest his government’s proposal to abolish Slovakia’s public broadcaster, and replace it with an institution opponents fear will be far more passive towards him and his allies within the populist-nationalist coalition.

The proposal has led to mass demonstrations - some organised by the liberal pro-western opposition - by those who fear for media freedom in Slovakia.

Fico’s criminal justice reforms, including the abolition of the Special Prosecutor’s Office – which was established to investigate serious corruption and organised crime, some involving members of his party – have also brought people out onto the streets in huge numbers.

But while those protests have been noisy and boisterous, they have been entirely peaceful. The political temperature may have risen in Slovakia since he formed what is his fourth administration, but this shooting propels the country into wholly uncharted territory.

One coalition ally – deputy prime minister Andrej Danko, leader of the ultra-nationalist Slovak National Party – has already blamed the opposition for the attack. He says the country is heading for "political war".

As we reported a few moments ago, Slovak President Zuzana Caputova told reporters the shooting of Prime Minister Robert Fico was an "attack on democracy".

Earlier, a witness told the BBC she heard three shots - now another witness tells Reuters she heard the same.

Lubica Valkova was in the area to “shake hands with Mr Fico”, and was “taking pictures of him when he walked out of the building”.

“We heard something like a bang, we thought someone made a joke and threw a firecracker on the ground, that was my first reaction.

"I heard three shots, it was quick one by one like if you throw a firecracker on the ground."

Image source, Reuters

• Police detained the suspect after Fico was shot in the central town of Handlova
• The BBC's local correspondent, Rob Cameron, says we're hearing the attacker is 71 years old from a village in central Slovakia
• The pistol the shots were fired from was reportedly legally held
• The attacker's motive is not yet known

• A video shows civilians and guards detaining the suspect outside the cultural centre in Handlova
• The man, wearing a pale blue shirt, was then seen sitting on the ground, hands tied behind his back

Image source, EPA

More now from Slovakia's outgoing president, who confirms that police have detained the attacker and that officials will be providing more information "as soon as possible".

Zuzana Caputova adds in her statement that the shooting on her political opponent is an "attack on democracy".

Earlier, Caputova condemned the shooting as a "brutal and ruthless" attack.

Milan Nic, a former adviser to Slovakia's deputy foreign minister, says the political climate in Slovakia has been polarised for a number of years, adding: "I'm sorry to say that this was coming."

"This is not an isolated incident unfortunately," Nic tells BBC News.

He says while it's terrible news that prime minister was shot, "at the same time, there were other politicians receiving threat, including current president (Zuzana) Caputova.

"Now, the political class needs to take it very seriously."

We're now hearing from an eyewitness who was waiting outside the building to shake hands with the Slovak prime minister, moments before he was shot.

"I took a picture of him when he left the building," the eyewitness tells BBC's 5 Live.

When she went to shake Robert Fico's hand, she heard what she initially thought was a "cannon" going off.

"I heard three shots and I saw a scratch on his head," she says.

As we've reported, Robert Fico is in a life-threatening condition.

This video shows the Slovak prime minister being carried into Banska Bystrica hospital, east of Handlova, after being airlifted by helicopter.

Image source, Reuters

Following from our earlier post, here's more reaction from European leaders to the shooting of Robert Fico:

• Polish prime minister Donald Tusk addressed Fico directly in a post on X, saying his "thoughts are with you in this very difficult moment"
• Estonia's prime minister Kaja Kallas wished Fico a "speedy recovery", adding that "an attack against an elected leader is also an attack against the very idea of democracy"
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky labelled the attack "appalling" and demanded that efforts be made "to ensure that violence does not become the norm in any country, form, or sphere"
• Ireland's foreign minister Micheál Martin said this "vile" and "reckless" shooting is a "direct attack on democracy itself"
• Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg added that his "thoughts are with Robert Fico, his loved ones, and the people of Slovakia"

Details are still emerging about the incident in Slovakia, where Prime Minister Robert Fico has been shot a number of times. Here is what we know so far:

• He was shot and wounded as he was leaving a government meeting in the central town of Handlova
• Officials say he is in a life-threatening condition and he is receiving treatment in hospital
• As Fico greeted crowds in front of a cultural community centre where a government meeting had been held, several shots were heard before his security detail bundled him into a nearby car
• Local reports say Fico was shot in the abdomen, arm, and leg. Pictures show police detaining a suspect
• He was airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital before he was later flown to another hospital in Banska Bystrica, east of Handlova, reports say

As we've been reporting, Fico was wounded as he was leaving a government meeting.

This video shows the Slovak prime minister attending the meeting in the central town of Handlova, before he was shot.

Unconfirmed reports by eyewitnesses say Fico was shot in the arms, legs and stomach - but we have not been able to verify this.

His bodyguards were seen helping him to a car soon after the shooting.

Fico's staff have since said he was airlifted to a nearby hospital as the transfer to the capital Bratislava would take too long and his condition is understood to be critical.

President-elect and Fico ally Peter Pellegrini said he was "horrified" to hear that Fico was "the target of an assassination attempt".

"I am horrified at where hatred for a different political opinion can lead. We don't have to agree with everything, but there are many ways to express your disagreement democratically and legally," he said.

He added that different political opinions should be expressed in polling stations and not with guns.

Fico was shot in front of a building in the central Slovak town of Handlova, where a government meeting had been held. This video shows Robert Fico being carried to a car after being shot.

Slovak PM Robert Fico was greeting people in front of a cultural community centre in the central town of Handlova in Slovkia when several shots were fired from a crowd, reports say.

Handlova is around 180km (112 miles) north-east of the capital Bratislava.

Local reports say he was airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital before he was later flown to another hospital in Banska Bystrica, east of Handlova.

Image source, .

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has also reacted to the breaking news, saying he is "shocked"

He wrote on X: "Shocked to hear this awful news. All our thoughts are with Prime Minister Fico and his family."

An update was just posted on Robert Fico's Facebook page.

It says the Slovak PM was "shot multiple times and is currently in a life-threatening condition" and that he is being transported by helicopter to the nearby town of Banská Bystrica.