Investigators Link Russia to Parcel Fire Plot in Europe

European and British investigators have said Russia’s military intelligence service is suspected of being behind a series of parcel fires that targeted the UK and other parts of Europe in 2024. The joint investigation was launched after several self-igniting parcels detonated in Germany, Poland and at a DHL depot near Birmingham in the UK. Authorities say the incidents were part of a coordinated sabotage operation.

According to investigators, the parcels contained explosive devices triggered by electronic timers hidden inside vibrating massage pillows. One device exploded in a DPD truck in Poland, while another caught fire at a sorting centre at Leipzig airport in Germany just before it was due to be loaded onto an aircraft. Officials said it was fortunate the device did not ignite mid-air, which could have caused a major disaster.

Authorities have identified 22 suspects in Lithuania and Poland who are believed to have been working on behalf of Russian military intelligence. The suspects, reportedly recruited through online messaging platforms and paid in cryptocurrencies, were said to come from several countries including Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Ukraine. Russia has denied accusations of sabotage, while investigators say trials of two suspects are expected later this year.

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