German police arrest three men over alleged Russian parcel bomb plot
Three Ukrainian men allegedly sent two parcels as a test run to scout out potential routes for explosive packages. (Flickr)
In short:
Three men allegedly sent parcels containing GPS trackers in March this year to scout out potential routes for further explosive packages.
The men were allegedly in contact with Russian state actors, German prosecutors say.
It's the latest example of a rising hybrid war in Europe, with western intelligence accusing Russia of using sabotage as a weapon to destablise European support for Ukraine.
Three Ukrainian nationals have been arrested over an alleged Russian sabotage plot to mail exploding parcels from Germany to Ukraine.
It follows high-profile cases of parcels detonating at European transport depots last year and numerous other suspected Russian sabotage attempts across the continent.
Intelligence officials have in recent years warned of a growing threat from hybrid attacks in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
On Wednesday, German prosecutors released details of the alleged plot, in which the three men sent two parcels in late March.
Authorities said it was a test run involving GPS trackers to scope out routes for future arson and bombing attacks.
The latest plot echoes previous sabotage attempts which saw parcels explode at transport depots around Europe. (Reuters: Matthias Rietschel)
The suspects are believed to have been in contact with individuals working for Russian state institutions, federal prosecutors said in a statement.
Two of the men, identified in line with German privacy laws only as Vladyslav T and Daniil B, were arrested over the weekend in Germany.
Another, identified as Yevhen B, was taken into custody on Tuesday in Switzerland.
The Kremlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the arrests.
"We know that Russia is trying to destabilise Western democracies by all means — including targeted sabotage and perfidious intelligence methods," German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said in a statement on the arrests.
"Our security authorities … are keeping a close eye on this threat."
Alleged plot the latest example of hybrid war
Last summer, a series of parcels blew up at depots in the UK, Germany and Poland. Security officials later said the parcels were part of a test run for a Russian plot to trigger explosions on cargo flights to the United States.
Russia denied any involvement.
German prosecutors declined to comment on any connection between the latest case and the incidents of last summer.
They did not specify whether the two parcels sent by the Ukrainian suspects were intended for air or overland transport.
The three Ukrainian nationals had prepared two "test parcels" containing GPS trackers to be sent from Cologne in western Germany in late March after telling one or more Russian state actors that they were prepared to carry out attacks, according to the prosecutors' statement.
Investigators believe the parcels were intended to scout out possible routes.
The Swiss Justice Ministry said Germany had requested extradition of the suspect arrested in Switzerland, but declined to give further details.
This alleged plot is part of a wider accusation by European nations of Russian sabotage, which western intelligence services link to European support for Ukraine.
On the weekend, Polish authorities alleged Russian government institutions were behind a Warsaw shopping centre fire which broke out in May last year.
Russian involvement is also suspected in another shopping centre fire at an IKEA in Lithuania.
It has also been accused of severing undersea cables in the Baltic Sea.
ABC/Reuters