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Russian sabotage? Major fire at the Diehl company in Berlin-Lichterfelde © Marius Schwarz/Imago
According to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Russia is trying to create chaos in Europe. In addition to espionage, they are also targeting petty criminals and social media profiles. German companies are called upon to be vigilant.
Berlin/Moscow – “A war does not begin when bombs fall.” This is how Stephan Kramer, President of the Thuringian Office for the Protection of the Constitution, warns in the BusinessWeek of the growing threat from Russia, also for the German economy. After an attack on Rheinmetall’s CEO, Armin Papperger, was foiled, German companies are likely to have become more aware of the situation. In addition, there have been too many strange occurrences in Europe in recent weeks and months that are likely to raise suspicions. Is it all just a coincidence?
Fires across Europe suggest sabotage from Russia – attacks in France too?
There was the major fire at the Diehl company in Berlin-Lichterfelde. Or at the end of March the warehouse in London that caught fire, where the fire brigade later found accelerant. Or the largest department store in Poland that burned down overnight. As this text is being written, there are reports of sabotage in France that paralyzed train traffic just hours before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. There is no speculation as to who is responsible. In view of recent indications and past events, the question may arise as to whether there is a connection to Russia.
Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra also wanted to defend Russia against the British broadcaster Sky News cannot yet rule out him as the perpetrator. Her answer to this question: “Maybe.”
Except for the most recent case, Russia is the focus of the secret services. Which is why the secret services are now warning more clearly than before: Russia is trying to create chaos in Europe. “Increasing geopolitical rivalries as well as the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine are exacerbating the threat situation,” writes the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) in June 2023 in a security advisory to the economy. A spy ring was uncovered in Poland, which was supposedly tasked with spying on critical infrastructure and preparing acts of sabotage. “The case of the spy ring in Poland indicates that more attempts at sabotage can be expected in the future.”
Today, Friday (26 July), the BfV publishes also a new notice with the following warning to the business community: “In other European countries, investigations are currently underway into several cases of attempted or completed arson, as well as vandalism and propaganda activities that could be traced back to Russian intelligence services.”
Russia apparently uses new ways for sabotage – Russian-born employees are being approached
According to the BfV, the Kremlin’s methods are also new. It is not only relying on “full-time actors” – i.e. spies – but also contacting petty criminals on channels such as Telegram. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution therefore recommends that companies sensitize their employees to “investigation and initiation attempts.”
The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution also has evidence that Russian intelligence services are specifically evaluating social media profiles of employees of German companies. “The aim was apparently to identify people who could be susceptible to Russian attempts to exert influence or initiate contact,” says a recent security advisory from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
Compared to the Time Günther Schotten, managing director of the Allianz interest group, reports that several companies have already “discovered suspicious things, such as unknown cars in the driveway with people taking photos out of them.” And even more worrying: “We have also noticed Russian organizations contacting employees of Russian origin in German companies and organizations with the aim of getting them to work for Russia,” says Schotten. “As a company, you don’t just have friends,” he warns.
Accordingly, he demands, just like the BfV, that suspicious activities and situations be reported immediately to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The BfV website also provides special contact channels for industry and science.t.
Russia is trying to create chaos – and it is already working
According to experts, Russia’s targets are not only military areas or arms companies. Any company and any area of public order could be a target. “It’s about destabilizing Western democracies,” said constitutional protection officer Kramer in the ViewViewAn anonymous security official said in the Time even more clearly: “The population in the countries of Europe should be made aware that they will pay a price for supporting Ukraine.” The aim is to influence public opinion and thus weaken support for Ukraine from the West.
It is obvious that this strategy is already successful. According to a recent EU survey, 41 percent of Germans are skeptical about financial support for Ukraine. In Italy, a majority of respondents (51 percent) are in favor of a more neutral position for the EU towards the conflict, while 40 percent support Ukraine. There is now only a small majority (55 percent) who support arms deliveries to Ukraine.
