The security services of several European countries sound the alarm in the face of a series of arson attacks and acts of sabotage in the Baltics, the United Kingdom and Germany considered a new front of the Russian offensive. When a fire broke out at the Ikea in Vilnius in Lithuania some time ago, there was little comment until the Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, suggested that it may have been the work of a foreign saboteur.
The Investigators have already speculated on potential Russian involvement in an arson attack in east Londonin a fire that destroyed the largest shopping center in Polandin a sabotage attempt in Bavaria, Germany, and in anti-Semitic graffiti left behind in Paris.
Although there is no evidence that these incidents are coordinated, the security services they believe they may be part of an attempt by Moscow to destabilize the West, due to its support for Ukraine.
After the Cold War – the intelligence sources cited by the Guardian recall – foreign intelligence operations were made up of spies and their managers, but in the age of social media, vandals can be hired, without any links to other attackers being identifiable as paid saboteurs rewarded with a few hundred Euros or in cryptocurrency.
The concern of EU ministers, the attacks in Europe
There is such concern that these hybrid attacks could be the work of Russia the issue was raised this week in Brussels during a summit of foreign and defense ministers, with Dutch, Estonian and Lithuanian security officials. One minister, who asked not to be named, said he was deeply concerned about “sabotage, physical sabotage, organized, financed and proxied by Russia.”
Last week, Tusk revealed that Polish authorities have arrested nine people in connection with acts of sabotage allegedly committed on the orders of Russian services. Investigators are looking into whether Russia was involved in the burning of a shopping mall in Warsaw, a claim the Russian embassy has described as an example of a conspiracy theory.
An Ikea spokesperson said investigations into the origin of the fire in Lithuania were continuing, while Tusk cited an attempted arson at a paint factory in Poland. In April, a British man was accused of orchestrating an arson attack on two facilities linked to a Ukrainian businessman in an industrial area of Leyton, east London, after allegedly being recruited by Russian intelligence.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur, in Brussels for an EU defense summit on Tuesday, said the country had already been a victim of Russian sabotage. “They conducted similar operations in Estonia. They hired 10 people to attack the Interior Minister’s car and that of a journalist. This is normal Russian behavior. We are sorry to say it, but we must understand that Russia is increasingly aggressive towards European countries and also towards NATO countries,” he said. The prosecutor was referring to the incidents that occurred in February, when the car windows of the Interior Minister, Lauri Läänemets, and a journalist were smashed. Shortly afterwards, six people were arrested, including Russian and Russian-Estonian citizens, the prosecutor said. Attacks led by foreign intelligence are also suspected in Germany, as well as a wave of cyberattacks in 2023 by a group of hackers linked to Russian intelligence.
Last month, Two Russian-German citizens were arrested on suspicion of planning sabotage attacks, including on a military base in Bavaria. The main suspect was accused of planning an explosion, arson and maintaining contacts with Russian intelligence.
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