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DiesRussian sabotage campaign targeting DHL and other logistics hubs across Europe.

A series of small explosive/incipient incendiary devices hidden in ordinary-looking packages detonated at DHL and DPD logistics hubs in Britain, Germany, and Poland, triggering fires that drew urgent attention from fire crews and security services across Europe. Investigators later stated that each of the parcels had been crafted to contain timed incendiary charges disguised inside consumer items like vibrating massage cushions and other goods — devices that, had they ignited in flight onboard an aircraft, could have caused a catastrophic crash. A joint statement by Lithuanian authorities and Western security services linked the network that organised these parcel attacks to Russian military intelligence ties, alleging they were part of a broader plot to trigger fires on cargo or passenger flights. Although the devices did not explode in mid-air, the fires on the ground were sufficient to halt cargo operations and raised alarms about the vulnerability of aviation logistics to covert sabotage. European and NATO officials characterised the plot not merely as criminal violence but as a hybrid sabotage campaign intentionally designed to stress allied logistics infrastructure and probe security weak points across borders. Subsequent international law enforcement actions included arrests, terrorism charges, and the creation of joint investigation teams involving nine countries to pursue suspects and map the GRU-linked network. Southern Europe

Occurrence

2024-07-19

Publication

2024-07-19T17:42:24Z

First observed

2026-09-24T06:09:10.079Z

Review status

Not assessed

Countries

DE, GB, PL

Updated

2026-09-27T23:56:59.668Z