Suspected sabotage incidents in Germany increase... Russian conspiracy theory raised

The daily Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) reported on the 4th (local time) that incidents suspected of sabotage occurred twice every three days in Germany this year.

Germany's Federal Crime Agency (BKA) said in a report prepared at the end of last month that it had confirmed 165 cases of suspected sabotage this year. Authorities define sabotage as “an act of intentionally causing harm to economic, scientific, military, security, or political functions.” These include disruption of core infrastructure such as power and railway networks, and arson and explosion of major facilities.

Authorities have detected 112 spy crimes this year. Of these, about 60 were cases of spying by filming military facilities or supplies. The number of unidentified drones seen above key infrastructure facilities, including defense companies, was 1,068 this year.

The German government identified Russia as the mastermind behind the explosive drone incident that occurred at Leipzig-Halle Airport early last month and retaliated by closing the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the Russian Cultural Center in Berlin.

Recently, there have been a series of attacks targeting the power grid. On the 1st, explosive devices were discovered at substations in Turnopreilach, in the eastern state of Brandenburg, and Bergheim, in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The day before, a resident reported discovering an explosive device made of a timer and copper wire near a substation in Dormagen, North Rhine-Westphalia.

European security authorities suspect that many of the sabotage incidents were orchestrated by Russian intelligence agencies. However, even if the Russian authorities intervene, it is not easy to secure solid evidence because in most cases, so-called 'disposable agents' who do the work for them are paid for their efforts.

In the Leipzig Airport incident, the drone parts and explosive materials were similar to Russia's existing hybrid operation, which became the basis for holding Russia responsible. On the other hand, in the recent substation attack, a person who is opposed to fossil fuels claimed responsibility.

The daily Tagess Zeitung reported the day before that it had received a handwritten letter detailing the specifications and attack point of the improvised explosive device used to attack the substation. In the letter, the author claimed, “Producing electricity using fossil fuels is a crime that brings indescribable suffering.”

Causing arson and bombings and then disclosing information known only to the culprits to the Internet or media outlets is a typical tactic of far-left groups that promote anti-capitalism, anti-technology, and anti-imperialism. However, there is also speculation that Russia, which has become a de facto enemy since the Ukraine War, is attacking infrastructure under the guise of an extreme left-wing group.

Similar suspicions arose during the Berlin transmission cable arson incident that caused a large-scale power outage in January of this year. A statement by the extreme leftist group Vulkangrupe, which claimed to be behind various infrastructure attacks for over 10 years, was released immediately after the fire. However, a few days later, a group claiming to be 'assisting' refuted the incident, saying it had nothing to do with them. Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the Bundestag and a former colonel in the Bundeswehr, raised the theory that Russia was behind it, saying, "If the statement is translated back into Russian, it will be much more natural than the awkward (original) German."