Russia is actively preparing covert bombings, arson attacks and destruction of infrastructure on European territory

Russia has already begun to more actively prepare covert bombings, arson attacks and destruction of infrastructure on European territory, directly and through intermediaries, without apparently being concerned about the production of civilian casualties, according to intelligence officials.

While Kremlin operatives have a long history of such operations — and have launched sporadic attacks in Europe in recent years — evidence is mounting of a more aggressive and concerted effort, according to assessments from three different European countries obtained by Financial Times.

Intelligence officials are becoming increasingly vocal about this threat in an effort to promote vigilance.

“We assess that the risk of acts of state-controlled sabotage has increased significantly,” said Thomas Haldenwang, head of Germany’s domestic intelligence services. Russia now seems comfortable conducting operations on European soil “with a high potential for damage,” he told a security conference last month organized by his agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

The number of acts of sabotage has increased

Haldenwang spoke just days after two German-Russian nationals were arrested in Bayreuth, Bavaria, for allegedly plotting to attack military and logistical sites in Germany on behalf of Russia.

Two men were charged in Britain in late April with setting a fire at a warehouse containing aid shipments to Ukraine. British prosecutors accuse them of working for the Russian government.

In Sweden, security services are meanwhile investigating a series of recent rail derailments, which they suspect may be acts of state-sponsored sabotage.

Russia tried to destroy the signaling systems of the Czech railways, the country’s transport minister told the FT last month.

In Estonia, an attack on the interior minister’s car in February and attacks on journalists were carried out by Russian intelligence agents, the country’s Internal Security Service said. The French Ministry of Defense also warned this year of possible Russian sabotage of military sites.

“The obvious conclusion is that there has been a real intensification of Russian activity,” said Keir Giles, senior consultant at Chatham House, a think-tank.

Warning also from NATO

A senior European government official said information about “clear and convincing Russian wrongdoing” was shared through NATO’s security services, which were coordinated and on a large scale.

The time has come to “increase awareness and focus” on the Russian threat on European territory, he added.

NATO issued a statement on Thursday expressing deep concern about Russia’s “increasing malign activities on allied territory”, noting that it is an “escalating campaign … across the Euro-Atlantic area”. .

Growing fears about Russia’s appetite for physical damage against its adversaries follow a wave of accusations against Russia over disinformation and hacking campaigns.