The Russian finger is threatening and preparing attacks. Here is the information from European intelligence agencies

According to five European services interviewed by "FT", the Kremlin is expanding sabotage and hybrid operations in Europe. Their goal is to weaken support for Ukraine. The targets included CEOs and other high-ranking employees of defense companies, including smaller companies producing drones and their components.

The threat level in Europe has increased. It concerns property, but also people, said a senior European intelligence official.

Germany strengthens protection of defense companies

The German counterintelligence BfV increased contacts with employees and management of arms companies. The service recommends, among others: use of private personal security teams.

BfV head Sinan Selen warned members of parliament that "Russia is deliberately planning acts of violence against people, using state or state-controlled actors." He added that the services are observing changes in both the list of goals and methods, as well as the perpetrators, including the use of organized crime structures.

Some managers admitted anonymously that in the last six months - at the specific recommendation of the services - they had strengthened their personal security. Others only use it when traveling abroad.

The GRU is to change its methods of operation

The GRU, the Russian military intelligence service, is primarily responsible for the operations described by "FT", described in Russian intelligence jargon as "wet work". According to sources, the services are increasingly cooperating with criminal groups, using international networks of agents and dividing tasks between different people or units instead of using individual agents recruited on the Internet.

Some planned actions have already been detected and thwarted. In other cases, sightings of potential targets were reported. The recruited people tried to get to know their lifestyle.

The main goal from the Russian perspective is still psychological, said one intelligence official. Just convincing people that they can be targeted has an effect. Russia wants them to think twice before doing business with Ukraine, he added.

Russian actions tend to be amateurish, and security costs are rising

One of the officials interviewed by the Financial Times noted that many of the activities of Russian agents smack of amateurism and are relatively easy to stop. Nevertheless, the alert status means that the services must treat every person as a potential threat.

In August, two young Russians were detained in Sweden after pitching a tent near the house of Saab's president, Micael Johansson. They were soon released.

Safety experts report a growing number of inquiries about employee protection. This applies not only to the arms industry, but also to the energy sector and critical infrastructure. Claudine Fry from Control Risks emphasized that the risk of attacks "definitely appears much more frequently in threat analyzes today."

Extensive protection also means additional costs. These may be particularly painful for small companies or start-ups. One executive told the FT that his company recently moved a production plant in Western Europe because of the Russian threat.

The heads of the largest European arms manufacturers have been on high alert since the beginning of 2024. Then the American and German services revealed the Russian plan to assassinate Armin Papperger, the president of the German Rheinmetall. Papperger, a strong supporter of arms supplies to Ukraine, currently enjoys 24-hour protection from private security guards and the police.