Overview

• German authorities are closely investigating Russia's alleged use of low-level operatives to plant incendiary devices in DHL parcels, which detonated at logistics hubs in Leipzig and Birmingham in July 2024.
• Colonel Denis Smolyaninov of Russia's GRU has been named as a suspected mastermind behind the plot and sanctioned by the EU for his role in hybrid attacks on Western infrastructure.
• Lithuanian authorities arrested Aleksandr S, a suspected operative, while investigations suggest the sabotage network conducted dry runs with parcels sent to the US and Canada in August 2024.
• Germany has expelled numerous Russian intelligence officers since 2022, weakening GRU operations, while maintaining elevated security measures to counter ongoing sabotage threats.
• European intelligence officials warn that mid-air explosions from the parcel bombs could have caused catastrophic crashes, underscoring critical vulnerabilities in aviation safety.