Denmark claims Russian sabotage against companies supplying Ukraine
Russia has moved from preparation to carrying out sabotage operations against Danish companies involved in supplying military aid to Ukraine. Moscow is primarily targeting defense industry enterprises and arms production, according to Denmark's Security and Intelligence Service (PET).
This was reported by Reuters on October 7, citing PET's lead analyst Josefine Christensen, who spoke at an internal security conference in Copenhagen.
According to her, in the spring Danish intelligence observed a large number of preparations for sabotage, but actual executed operations were few. The situation changed in early summer, when such actions became significantly more frequent.
PET believes Russia adjusted its tactics after a broader hybrid pressure campaign failed to reduce NATO countries' military support for Ukraine.
According to the Danish intelligence assessment, the main focus is now shifting to targets that can directly affect the situation on the front. Christensen named arms production as one such area.
She also pointed to an April list published by the Russian Defense Ministry of European drone and component manufacturers, which Moscow called potential military targets. Christensen gave no further details on specific Danish enterprises.
Back in September, PET warned that it was observing concrete planning and preparation of Russian sabotage actions in Denmark. The intelligence service named defense industry enterprises and companies directly linked to military support for Ukraine as the main potential targets.
According to PET, for such operations Russian intelligence increasingly uses not professional agents but intermediaries recruited online. Contacts are established through Telegram and other social platforms.
Recruitment may start with relatively simple tasks – for example, photographing an enterprise, warehouse, transport, or access roads. Information gathered in this way can later be used to prepare sabotage.
Christensen said that among the recruited perpetrators may be people in difficult social situations, including the homeless and people with drug addiction. According to PET's assessment, the organizers are primarily interested in quickly finding someone willing to carry out tasks for money.
On September 24, Danish intelligence also warned that Russia will likely continue to intensify its hybrid campaign against NATO and Western countries in the coming months.
PET considers one of the goals of Russian sabotage actions to be disrupting specific supplies to Ukraine, as well as an attempt to create a sense of threat of further escalation in European countries and thereby weaken support for Kyiv.
Russia has repeatedly denied involvement in sabotage and other hybrid warfare operations in European countries. The Russian embassy in Copenhagen has previously stated that Danish authorities make accusations without convincing evidence. The embassy did not promptly respond to Reuters' request regarding PET's new statements.
