Overview
- Berlin state security authenticated a letter in which the Vulkangruppe said it damaged cables at the Lichterfeld power plant, leading to Saturday’s blackout.
- The outage cut power to tens of thousands in the city’s southwest, with authorities opening emergency shelters for affected residents.
- In its statement, the group said it sought to harm the fossil energy sector and sensitive facilities, asserting households were not the intended target and apologizing to less affluent residents.
- Security services link the group to the “Switch off” militant campaign and to prior arson attacks, including the March 2024 strike near Tesla’s Grünheide plant that the company said caused several hundred million euros in damage.
- Officials describe the threat as persistent, noting Berlin’s Interior Senate previously rated the risk of further attacks as high as investigations into the latest sabotage continue.