Ukrainians detained in Germany over alleged sabotage plot
Three Ukrainians suspected of collaborating with Russia have been detained in Germany. The men were allegedly planning sabotage actions using explosives.
What do you need to know?
- Where were the arrests made? Three Ukrainians suspected of espionage for Russia were apprehended in Germany.
- What were their plans? The men intended to send packages containing incendiary and explosive devices that would detonate during transit.
- What substances were to be used? The saboteurs planned to use an incendiary chemical substance known as thermite, a mixture of aluminium and iron oxide, to execute the attacks.
What were the saboteurs' plans?
According to the German newspaper "Bild," three Ukrainians suspected of collaborating with Russian intelligence have been detained in Germany. The arrested foreigners were planning to send packages with explosive devices. The newspaper reports that the suspects were part of a Russian governmental plan. The spies were allegedly used as so-called "low-level agents." They were described as being "at the very bottom of the contractual chain." The packages they dispatched were meant to explode during transit. Thermite was to be used for the act of sabotage.
What could have been the mechanism of the attack?
According to media reports, dangerous packages containing explosive charges were to be sent through a foreign courier company, "Nova Post." The pattern of these sabotage acts was similar to those uncovered last year.
German security authorities warned as early as August 2024 about "unconventional incendiary devices" being sent by unidentified individuals via courier services. This included several packages sent from Lithuania. One package, addressed to London, ignited at Leipzig airport during a layover. Similar packages were also sent to Poland but did not ignite.
