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🇵🇱 Poland /Conflict & Security

Denmark in Kremlin’s sights, counterintelligence chief reveals Russian plans

From Rzeczpospolita · () Polish

Translated from Polish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Denmark’s counterintelligence service says Russian sabotage plans may target defense companies connected to military aid for Ukraine.
  • PET chief Emil Graesholm said authorities warned the public because the target selection and preparations appeared concrete, with arson among the possible tactics.
  • The warning follows German and Polish allegations of sabotage linked to Russia, including an incident near Leipzig and a fire at a Ukrainian-linked drone plant in Poland.

Danish authorities have publicly warned that Russia may be preparing sabotage operations against companies tied to military support for Ukraine. Emil Graesholm, head of counterintelligence at Denmark’s domestic intelligence and security service, said the warning was intended to make the danger clear to the public.

According to Graesholm, the main objective would be to stop specific deliveries for Ukraine’s defense while intimidating Danes into ending their support for Ukrainians and abandoning efforts to strengthen Denmark’s own defenses. He identified arson as one possible element of the plans and urged companies in the arms industry to tighten security.

The main objective is to stop specific deliveries for Ukraine's defense. At the same time, it is about intimidating us so that we stop supporting the Ukrainians and do not expand our own defense capabilities.

· Emil GraesholmDenmark's counterintelligence chief described the alleged purpose of Russian sabotage plans.

Graesholm also said Russia was trying to recruit ordinary Danes, often without telling them that their activities served Moscow. They could, for example, be asked to photograph or record facilities and factories. Such material could then be used to plan sabotage, he told Berlingske.

The choice of targets and the preparations made are sufficiently concrete that we considered it necessary to inform the public about the existence of a threat that must be taken seriously.

· Emil GraesholmGraesholm explained why Danish authorities issued a public warning.

The disclosure came after German authorities openly accused Russia of attempting an attack near Leipzig airport. A cargo plane collided with an unidentified object during the night of Aug. 4-5, shortly after the airport halted operations when a drone fitted with a detonator and explosives was found near a Ukrainian Antonov transport aircraft.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Sept. 1 that Russia was responsible for the incident. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Berlin would close Russia’s general consulate in Bonn and the Russian House cultural center in Berlin. In Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said a fire at a plant in Skarżysko-Kamienna owned by WB Electronics, which makes drones supplied in part to Ukraine, was an act of sabotage.

They could, for example, involve taking photographs or video recordings of facilities or plants, which could then be used to plan sabotage.

· Emil GraesholmHe described how Russian operatives might use unwitting local recruits.
About this summary

Originally published by Rzeczpospolita in Polish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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