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FACTBOX: Denmark’s PET raised the Russian sabotage threat in 2024
🇩🇰 Denmark /Conflict & Security

FACTBOX: Denmark’s PET raised the Russian sabotage threat in 2024

From Berlingske · () Danish

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

At a glance

Explainer Named sources Ongoing story
  • Denmark’s PET intelligence service says Russian security services are actively preparing sabotage operations, particularly against the country’s defence industry.
  • PET raised its assessment of the physical sabotage threat in May 2024 after suspected Russian-linked acts, including arson and serious vandalism, across Europe.
  • The agency says Russian services have tried to recruit ordinary Danes for tasks such as checking security arrangements around Danish companies.

Denmark’s intelligence service says Russian security agencies are actively preparing sabotage operations against Danish companies, particularly in the defence industry.

PET first raised the threat assessment for physical sabotage from Russia in May 2024. At the time, the agency pointed to several months of suspected Russian intelligence-linked activity across Europe, including arson and serious vandalism.

Because Denmark actively supports Ukraine, PET said the heightened threat applied to military and civilian targets connected with that support. In December 2025, then-PET chief Finn Borch Andersen called for closer European cooperation to counter Russian hybrid warfare. The service also assessed Russia’s espionage and sabotage threats as high, citing hybrid attacks across Europe.

actively preparing

— Emil GræsholmThe PET counterintelligence chief described Russian security services’ preparations for sabotage operations.

On Sept. 2, 2026, PET’s counterintelligence chief, Emil Græsholm, said the targets included companies in Denmark’s defence industry. PET also said Russian security services had tried to recruit “ordinary Danes” for assignments in Denmark.

Those tasks could include examining and reporting access and security arrangements around a factory or company, according to the intelligence service.

ordinary Danes

— Emil GræsholmThe phrase refers to people Russian security services allegedly attempted to recruit for tasks in Denmark.
About this summary

Originally published by Berlingske in Danish. 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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