United States, Nov 07 (Alliance News): A covert Russian operation is believed to have been behind the incendiary devices that ignited at DHL logistics hubs in Germany and the UK in July, aiming to start fires on cargo and passenger flights bound for the U.S. and Canada, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) citing Western security officials.
The explosions at DHL hubs in Leipzig, Germany, and Birmingham, UK, initiated an urgent investigation. The devices, described as electric massagers with a magnesium-based flammable substance, were shipped from Lithuania to the UK.
The operation appears to have been a test run to understand how such devices could be smuggled onto planes heading to North America.
In response to questions, a DHL Express spokesperson confirmed awareness of the incidents, stating that the company was “cooperating with the relevant authorities” regarding the matter.
The reported plot targeted flights bound for the U.S. and Canada, prompting international alarm.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the WSJ report as “unintelligible hoaxes” that lacked credible evidence. Meanwhile, a U.S. government official reassured that there is “no current active threat targeting U.S.-bound flights.”
In related developments, Polish authorities arrested four individuals in October under suspicion of involvement in international sabotage.
An international search is underway for two other suspects linked to a network believed to have been testing and sending parcels containing explosives and dangerous materials across Europe. The goal, according to Polish officials, was to establish a channel for sending incendiary devices to the U.S. and Canada.
In the UK, a spokesperson for counter-terrorism police confirmed an investigation into a July incident in Birmingham, where a package at a commercial premises caught fire.
The fire was promptly dealt with by staff and the fire brigade, with no injuries or significant damage reported.
The investigation remains open as authorities collaborate with European counterparts to determine whether this incident is connected to other similar cases.
Reports also reveal a growing pattern of sabotage operations across NATO countries, with Russia accused of orchestrating attacks on supply lines for Ukraine and targeting key decision-makers.
According to senior NATO officials, Russia’s tactics have become bolder, relying on local amateurs to carry out high-risk operations, thus complicating attribution efforts.
