a series of attacks and fires activates all alerts in Europe

Security services across Europe are in maximum alert due to a series of arson and sabotage that are suspected to be part of a new Russian strategy aimed at destabilizing member countries of the European Union and NATO.

This increase in surveillance comes after a series of attacks against infrastructure in the Baltic countries, Germany, France and the United Kingdom whose authorship has not been clarified. On May 9, a fire at the Ikea in Vilnius gained great importance when the Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, suggested it could have been foreign sabotage. Three days after the incident in the Lithuanian capital, the Marywilska 44 shopping center in Warsaw It was burned in its entirety.

On May 12, the Polish Internal Security Agency reported that it had detained a national and two Belarusians suspected of setting fire to facilities in various parts of the country. “These are subsequent arrests in the framework of the investigation into the activities of an organized criminal group whose task is to commit acts of sabotage, in particular arson, arson at the request of the Russian secret services“he declared. The men now face life in prison.

[Veto de Hungría y sin Patriots: el apoyo de la UE a Ucrania se ralentiza en plena ofensiva rusa]

In the United Kingdom, a Briton was accused of orchestrating an arson attack on companies linked to a Ukrainian businessman in east London, notes a article of Guardian. The Crown Prosecution Service alleged that he had been recruited by Russian intelligence and that he was involved in activities benefiting the Russian state. Similarly, in Germany two German-Russian citizens were arrested on suspicion of planning sabotage attacks, including an explosion and arson in a Bavarian military base.

France has also faced similar threats. The Parisian Prosecutor’s Office investigating the anti-semitic graffiti at the capital’s Holocaust memorial over possible connections to Russian security services, echoing concerns raised by an attack last year in which the Star of David was spray-painted on buildings around Paris.

Estonia has also reported sabotage attempts by Russia, including attacks on the cars of the Minister of the Interior and a journalist. Shortly after these incidents, six people were arrested, including Russian citizens and citizens with dual Russian and Estonian nationality.

Although there is no concrete evidence that these incidents are coordinated, European security services believe they could be part of a systematic effort by Moscow to destabilize the West, which has supported Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Modern foreign intelligence operations have evolved to include the hiring of vandals for acts of sabotage, often using cryptocurrencieswhich makes it difficult to trace it to Russia.

This growing concern was a key theme at a recent summit of foreign and defense ministers in Brussels. Security officials from the Netherlands, Estonia, Lithuania and other countries highlighted their national vulnerabilities and the need to increase surveillance. Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren stressed the risk to critical infrastructure, including the seabed and power supplies, and noted that Russia’s tactics They are reminiscent of those used by the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

The Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, confirmed the increased activity of Russian intelligence services across the Alliance and noted that there had been several arrests related to arson and sabotage in various NATO countries. This increase in activity underscores the need for a increased surveillance and coordinated responses to these hybrid threats.

[Un osado Putin traslada la tensión a Europa y reta a la OTAN con movimientos en la frontera de Estonia]

In response to these threats, European countries are implementing enhanced security measures and urging businesses and the general public to remain vigilant. Lithuania’s national crisis management center has warned organizations supporting Ukraine that strengthen your security measures. The Dutch national coordinator for security and counter-terrorism has also warned of the risk of subversive operations, including espionage and sabotage of vital infrastructure.

Putin threatens Europe

Putin warned the West on Tuesday that European NATO members are “playing with fire” by proposing that Ukraine use Western weapons to attack inside Russia, which he believed could trigger a global conflict. The Russian president stated that Ukrainian attacks against Russia with long-range weapons would require military, intelligence and satellite help from the West, so the West would be directly involved. He said sending French troops to Ukraine would be a step towards a global conflictappointment Reuters.

Referring to NATO members in Europe, Putin said that the small countries in that area “should be aware of what is at stake,” since they have small tracts of land and very dense populations. “This is a factor they should take into account before talking about striking deep into Russian territory,” she said.