European Parcel Fires Linked to Russian Sabotage Campaign

Polish prosecutors have confirmed that recent parcel fires in Europe, targeting transport companies, were part of a Russian-led campaign designed to disrupt cargo flights. Enhanced security measures are now in place as governments react to these threats.

A string of suspicious parcel fires at courier companies in Poland, Germany, and the UK has been identified as test runs aimed at undermining cargo flights to the United States and Canada, according to an announcement by Polish prosecutors. Katarzyna Calow-Jaszewska disclosed last month that four individuals had been arrested in connection with these troubling incidents, prompting ongoing investigations across Europe.

In July alone, fires erupted on three days in containers scheduled for loading onto DHL cargo planes at a logistics hub in Leipzig, Germany. Additional incidents included a blaze at a transport company near Warsaw and a similar fiery outbreak at a facility in Minworth, UK, where an incendiary device was reportedly involved.

Details surrounding the Minworth fire remain scant; however, Ken McCallum, head of MI5, stated last month that Russian operatives had resorted to “arson, sabotage, and increasingly reckless actions” in retaliation for UK support to Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict. Thomas Haldenwang, the head of Germany's domestic intelligence agency (BfV), remarked it was sheer luck that the Leipzig device didn’t ignite mid-air.

Calow-Jaszewska elaborated that a network of foreign intelligence saboteurs has been linked to sending parcels loaded with concealed explosives or hazardous materials through various courier services. The resulting fires have caused significant alarm, particularly given their spontaneous nature. Magnesium-based substances, identified as the source of these fires, are particularly difficult to extinguish onboard aircraft. Reports indicate it took two hours to bring the fire at Jablonow near Warsaw under control.

According to the prosecutor, the group’s overarching intention was to gauge the logistics of transferring such dangerous parcels, which were destined for North America. Western intelligence has connected these arson incidents to a broader campaign orchestrated by Russia's GRU foreign military intelligence service, amid ongoing tensions due to the war in Ukraine.

In the wake of these alarming revelations, DHL has ramped up security protocols across its European operations. A spokesperson for the company stated that measures have been implemented to safeguard employees, facilities, and shipments.

In response to suspected Russian sabotage, Polish authorities have taken measures including closing a Russian consulate in Poznan. Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has suggested further actions, including the potential expulsion of the Russian ambassador, should attacks persist. Russia's foreign ministry condemned these actions as hostile and warned of retaliatory measures.