Getty ImagesPolish prosecutors say a series of package fires targeting Polish, German and British express delivery companies were just a preview of a plan to disrupt flights to the United States and Canada.
Katarzyna Calow-Jaszewska revealed late last month that four people had been arrested and authorities across Europe were investigating the incidents.
On three days in July, a fire broke out in a container preparing to be loaded onto a DHL cargo plane in Leipzig, Germany.
A fire broke out at a transport company near Warsaw and a similar fire broke out in Minworth, near Birmingham, England, involving packages described as incendiary devices.
British officials have not revealed some details about the Minworth fire.
However, Ken McCallum, the head of Britain’s domestic intelligence agency MI5, said last month that Russian agents had carried out “increasingly reckless arson, sabotage and more dangerous actions” after Britain helped Ukraine in its war with Russia. ”.
The head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency (BfV) said it was pure luck that the Leipzig device did not catch fire in mid-air.
Ms Calow-Jaszewska said in a statement that a group of foreign intelligence saboteurs were involved in sending packages containing hidden explosives and hazardous materials through courier companies. The package then spontaneously ignites or explodes.
Western officials are now believed to be linking the arson attacks to a campaign orchestrated by Russia’s GRU foreign military intelligence service. They believe the fire originated from an electric massage machine containing “magnesium-based” substances.
Magnesium-based fires are difficult to extinguish, especially on aircraft. According to Polish reports, the incident in Jablono near Warsaw took two hours to put out.
“The group also aimed to test transshipment pipelines for such packages, which would ultimately be sent to the United States and Canada,” prosecutors said.
Russia denies being behind the sabotage.
But it is suspected of being behind attacks on warehouses and rail networks in EU member states this year, including Sweden and the Czech Republic.
Thomas Haldenwang, head of Germany’s BfV, described the equipment that caught fire at the DHL logistics center at Leipzig-Halle Airport as suspected Russian sabotage.
The package was thought to be from Lithuania and its subsequent flight was delayed.
It is understood that the device that caught fire in Minvos also came from Lithuania. Arvidas Posius, chairman of the National Security and Defense Committee of the Lithuanian Parliament, said that it was part of an ongoing hybrid attack campaign aimed at “causing chaos, Panic and panic”. distrust”.
DHL has increased safety measures since the recent freight fires. “DHL Express has taken measures in all European countries to protect its network, employees and facilities, as well as its customers’ cargo,” a spokesman said a few weeks ago.
The Polish government has responded to Russia’s sabotage, with Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski announcing the closure of the Russian consulate in Poznan and threatening to expel the Russian ambassador if Russia does not stop its attacks.
Russia’s foreign ministry condemned the move as “a hostile step that will lead to a painful response”.
