Putin has ordered new wave of sabotage attacks in Europe, - WSJ
A botched operation at Leipzig-Halle Airport in Germany this summer was one of the first incidents in an intensified campaign of sabotage against NATO countries, which, according to US intelligence, was personally ordered by the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Moscow denies any involvement in acts of sabotage in Europe.
The Wall Street Journal reports on this, citing European officials familiar with these findings, according to Censor.NET.
What happened in Leipzig
In early August, according to German officials, drones carrying explosives attacked a huge Antonov cargo aircraft that was being used to deliver military aid to Ukraine. One drone crashed into the aircraft but did not explode; a second collided with another aircraft; and a third exploded near the airport perimeter.
Investigators say that if the attack had gone according to plan, it would have caused chaos and casualties at one of Europe’s most important cargo aviation hubs.
German officials claim that the drones were operated by agents of Russian military intelligence. According to investigators, at least three drones were loaded with Semtex military-grade plastic explosive; they were placed in bushes and under trees near the perimeter, and could be controlled remotely via the internet using German 5G SIM cards. German cyber investigators traced the communications back to servers previously used by the DIU.
Advisers to Chancellor Friedrich Merz say that, had the attack resulted in mass casualties, they would have considered invoking Article 5 of the NATO Treaty.
Sabotage campaign
Following the attack in Leipzig, according to the publication, acts of sabotage in the ‘grey zone’ have surged across Europe. In August, drone manufacturers in Estonia and Poland were set on fire. That same month, Slovakia announced that it had foiled a planned arson attack on a Ukrainian drone factory.
In recent weeks, Poland, Lithuania and Bulgaria have reported acts of sabotage at Starlink stations, whilst in the Black Sea, off the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania, there has been a series of drone attacks on merchant ships.
- According to Western officials, these covert operations are coordinated by a unit of the Russian DIU — the Special Tasks Service (SSD) — which was established in 2023 by merging several of the most dangerous units, with a mandate to wage a covert war against Europe.
Western intelligence agencies have linked the attack on Leipzig Airport to one of its unit commanders – Colonel Denis Smolyaninov. He is subject to sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United Kingdom for directing covert Russian operations in Europe.
Investigators believe that the ground logistics were coordinated by Oleh Levushkin, a former Russian military officer recruited by the DIU; he directed several Belarusian agents who transported explosives, assembled drones, and deployed them.
The network used Serbia as a logistics hub. The Serbian authorities subsequently arrested seven suspects, including a person with dual Russian-Serbian citizenship. All are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
"Leipzig won’t be the last attack"
According to the publication, following the failed attack, a Kremlin official – who acts as a liaison with the German government – contacted his counterpart in Berlin and warned that Leipzig would not be the last attack.
Merz stated earlier this month: "Russia is waging war against Europe, not just against Ukraine, but against us too". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that the escalation could spill over into NATO countries and "quickly turn the war between the two countries into a much broader and far more dangerous regional conflict".
Russia denies any involvement in acts of sabotage in Europe. In response to Berlin’s accusations in early September, Putin said: "Where is the evidence?"
