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By Matthew Impelli
Life & Trends Reporter
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Russia is suspected in a plot to place incendiary devices in packages aboard cargo planes bound for the United States and other countries.
Western intelligence agencies believe that Russian operatives orchestrated the scheme to plant incendiary devices in parcels bound for North America, according to officials. The plan appears to have targeted cargo planes and is linked to two fires—one that broke out at a courier facility in Germany and another that ignited in a warehouse in England.
Polish authorities announced last month the arrest of four individuals allegedly connected to a foreign intelligence network involved in sabotage activities. Meanwhile, Lithuanian Prosecutor General Nida Grunskiene revealed on Tuesday that multiple suspects have been detained across several countries, though she declined to provide further details.
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Other Alleged Russian Plots
These incidents unfold amid what Western officials describe as an intensifying Russian hybrid warfare campaign against Ukraine's allies. This campaign has included election disinformation and arson attacks across Europe this year. Several officials attribute the operations to Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU, though Moscow has denied any involvement.
Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) reports a surge in incidents within Poland and other EU and NATO nations this year, attributing them to Russian special services. According to ABW, these operations are believed to be initiated and coordinated by Russian intelligence. To date, 20 individuals have been charged as part of ongoing investigations by Polish prosecutors, ABW, and local police.
The Suspected Plot
Polish Prosecutor Katarzyna Calów-Jaszewska stated that the investigation targets foreign agents allegedly involved in sabotage efforts. These acts include damage to industrial sites and critical infrastructure like airports, aircraft and other vehicles. Additionally, agents are suspected of using self-combustible packages, designed to ignite in transit, to carry out arson attacks across EU nations and the United Kingdom.
The suspected plot of placing incendiary devices on cargo planes was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
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The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced it has implemented additional security protocols in recent months for specific cargo shipments bound for the United States.
"We continually adjust our security posture as appropriate and promptly share any and all relevant information with our industry partners, to include requirements and recommendations that help them reduce risk," the TSA said in a statement.
Dirk Heinrichs, a spokesperson for DHL in Germany, said in an emailed statement that while the company could not disclose details, it is "fully cooperating with the relevant authorities to protect our employees, our network, and our customers' shipments."
Prosecutor Calów-Jaszewska stated on October 25 that parcels containing concealed explosives were sent through cargo companies to EU nations and the U.K. as a means of "testing the transfer channel for such parcels," with their ultimate destinations being the U.S. and Canada.
Concerns With Russia Ahead of Election
Law enforcement and intelligence officials across the U.S. have worked in recent weeks to combat any sort of misinformation from foreign entities, such as Russia, ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
Last week, intelligence officials said that "Russian influence actors" created a fake video on social media appearing to show voter fraud in Georgia.
The 20-second video, which began circulating on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday afternoon, shows a man identifying himself as a Haitian immigrant claiming he plans to vote multiple times in two Georgia counties for Vice President Kamala Harris.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, issued a statement on Thursday evening in which he said of the video: "This is false and is an example of targeted disinformation we've seen in this and other elections. It is likely foreign interference attempting to sow discord and chaos on the eve of the 2024 Presidential election."
This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.
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