Denmark accuses Russia of carrying out sabotage attacks against its defense companies

Russia has begun carrying out sabotage operations against Danish defense companies supplying military equipment to Ukraine, after concluding that its previous larger-scale destabilization operations had failed to curb Western military support for kyiv, a Danish intelligence official said on Wednesday.

This change in strategy marks a clear escalation in Moscow's hybrid war campaign, explained Josefine Christensen, senior analyst at the Danish Intelligence and Security Service (PET), at a conference devoted to internal security in Copenhagen. “What we saw in the spring was a lot of planning, but very little action; At the beginning of the summer we noticed that there were a lot more of them,” she said.

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Russia concluded that its previous operations, which targeted a wide range of targets, “did not have the effect of deterring NATO from supporting Ukraine,” she continued. Moscow retains political control of these operations, but is showing increasing boldness in their implementation, she added. Russia now seeks to “strike targets that have a direct impact on the front line. This means the production of weapons.

Russian denial

Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement in sabotage or hybrid warfare operations. The Russian embassy in Copenhagen rejected the accusations on Wednesday, accusing Danish authorities of making unfounded accusations against Russia. Josefine Christensen also cited a list from the Russian Defense Ministry of suspected European manufacturers of drones and drone components. Moscow said in April that these companies were potential military targets, without providing further details.

Russia is increasingly using underexperienced enforcers - including homeless people and people addicted to drugs - recruited via Telegram and other social networks. Recruitment generally begins with simple missions, such as scouting operations or taking photographs, before evolving into real sabotage operations, according to the PET. “It could be anyone just looking to make a quick buck,” Josefine Christensen said. “If the first person fails, they will send another, until they succeed.”