Last week in Berlin, a suspected arson attack on the electricity grid resulted in a prolonged power outage. Tens of thousands of households were left without electricity for days during cold weather. Authorities hope the reward will lead to decisive tips.
Arsons and earlier attempts have also been investigated in other European countries. In the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania, authorities discovered links between the various incidents, which targeted commercial buildings, transportation means, and factories.
The attacks were possibly carried out at the instigation of a foreign power, likely the Russian secret service. Joint Eurojust investigations revealed that the same group was behind multiple actions. The suspects used similar methods and were connected to the same organizers.
Since the outbreak of the Russian war in Ukraine, a large number of suspicious and alarming activities have occurred in EU countries that support Ukraine militarily and financially.
In France and the Netherlands, among other things, railway electricity cables were cut and set on fire. In Poland, a large shopping center was set ablaze. According to investigators, the actions were intended to intimidate the population and cause disruption.
In Lithuania, factories producing materials for the Ukrainian armed forces were targeted. Suspects scouted locations in advance and carried materials to start fires. Not all attempts caused damage, but they exhibited the same pattern.
In the Czech Republic, suspects set buses on fire and scouted locations for follow-up attacks. In Poland and Romania, suspects targeted depots and infrastructure. In Romania and the Czech Republic, individuals have already been convicted. Later this year, a trial will commence against six suspects in Lithuania.