Romania Says It Foiled Russian Sabotage Plot

Romania’s intelligence service, the SRI, said on Tuesday that it had thwarted a sabotage operation coordinated by Russia on Romanian territory. The announcement comes as Ukraine’s European allies seek to counter what they describe as Moscow’s attempts to destabilize them.

European countries have accused Russia of sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns targeting supporters of Kyiv. They include among such incidents the August drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport, which heightened tensions between Berlin and Moscow.

According to the SRI, a Russian citizen living in Romania had been under surveillance since February as part of an investigation conducted with international partners. He was allegedly instructed by an intermediary to photograph and film strategically important military targets.

These included Ukrainian Antonov cargo planes while they were in Romania. The SRI said the suspect’s actions followed patterns seen in previous cases.

The intelligence service also said Russia continues to use people from vulnerable groups for similar illegal activities. Moscow has repeatedly denied involvement in acts of sabotage. The Russian Embassy in Bucharest did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

(Reuters, max)