Western security officials believe a covert Russian operation aimed to send incendiary devices via DHL as part of a larger scheme to trigger fires aboard cargo or passenger flights bound for the U.S. and Canada.
Risking Mass Casualties
The alleged plot signals an escalation in Moscow’s sabotage campaign against Western targets, potentially risking mass casualties.
The investigation began in July when two incendiary devices ignited at DHL logistics centers—one in Leipzig, Germany, and the other in Birmingham, England, according to Digi24.
The devices were concealed within massage devices loaded with magnesium-based flammable material, which investigators suspect was a test to refine methods for smuggling such devices onto North America-bound aircraft.
Officials from multiple European intelligence agencies have since identified the devices as part of a broader Russian plan, with Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office confirming the arrest of four individuals suspected of involvement in sabotage operations linked to foreign intelligence.
Reckless Behavior
According to Pawel Szota, head of Poland’s foreign intelligence agency, Russian operatives are to blame, with indications pointing toward Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU.
Szota warned that such a plot could have “major consequences” if executed, causing significant harm and further escalating Russia’s ongoing campaign against the West.
In recent years, Russia has reportedly intensified its sabotage efforts across Europe, with incidents including targeted fires in the United Kingdom and Czech Republic, damage to pipelines and data cables in the Baltic Sea, and disruptions to water supplies in Sweden and Finland.
U.S. authorities previously warned Germany of Russian intentions to target Rheinmetall’s CEO, a German arms manufacturer critical to Ukraine’s defense.
British intelligence officials have underscored Moscow’s increasingly audacious sabotage tactics.
Richard Moore, head of MI6, recently noted that Russian intelligence has exhibited “reckless behavior,” and Ken McCallum, chief of MI5, warned of escalating Russian attacks, including arson and sabotage.
Some Western intelligence sources speculate that such plots may involve rogue operatives, hinting that the Kremlin may not fully authorize all such activities.
In response, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov dismissed these allegations as “unfounded insinuations,” denying any official accusations against Russia.
