Western intelligence officials believe that incendiary devices disguised as electric massagers, shipped via DHL, were part of a covert Russian operation aimed at sabotaging air cargo, potentially sparking fires aboard planes bound for the United States and Canada.
The Wall Street Journal reports that in July, two of these devices ignited at DHL hubs in Leipzig, Germany, and Birmingham, England, setting off an international investigation involving spy agencies and security officials. Analysis of the devices, which contained magnesium-based incendiary material, led investigators to conclude that they were crafted as part of a broader Russian sabotage effort, officials say. Authorities in Poland and elsewhere have since arrested multiple suspects linked to the devices, charging them with engaging in foreign-sponsored sabotage.
DHL confirmed that the incendiary devices were discovered aboard their cargo planes and stated that the company is cooperating with authorities. Meanwhile, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration declined to comment but noted it has worked with international partners to enhance security measures for air cargo as part of ongoing safety efforts.
Polish authorities are collaborating with international agencies in their pursuit of at least two additional suspects. The National Prosecutor’s Office in Poland stated that the incendiary devices were intended to test the feasibility of transferring such dangerous materials via commercial carriers, ultimately targeting the U.S. and Canada. Although officials stopped short of explicitly naming the perpetrator, Polish intelligence chief Pawel Szota pointed to Russian spies, saying such an attack would mark a new phase in Russia’s covert war against the West.
Szota expressed concern over the potential for mass casualties had the incendiary devices ignited mid-air. “I’m not sure the political leaders of Russia are aware of the consequences if one of these packages exploded, causing a mass casualty event,” he said.
Security officials from various Western nations have aligned with this view, pointing toward Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, as the orchestrator of the plot. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, dismissed the accusations as “traditional unsubstantiated insinuations from the media,” asserting that Moscow had not been formally implicated.
The suspected DHL plot aligns with an expanding pattern of alleged Russian sabotage activities across Europe, including arson in the U.K. and Czech Republic, as well as attacks on pipelines, data cables, and critical infrastructure in the Baltic region, Sweden, and Finland. Earlier this year, Germany received intelligence suggesting Russian plans to assassinate the CEO of Rheinmetall, a German arms manufacturer supplying Ukraine.
Following the DHL incidents, the heads of British intelligence agencies openly condemned Russia’s increasing recklessness. Richard Moore, head of MI6, noted in September that Russian spy agencies had “gone a bit feral” in their conduct. In October, Ken McCallum, head of MI5, warned of “arson, sabotage, and more dangerous actions conducted with increasing recklessness.”
The incendiary devices could have caused severe damage if they had made it onto planes. German authorities conducting tests found that the magnesium-based substance was highly flammable and could overwhelm standard firefighting systems on aircraft, making emergency landings necessary in the event of an ignition. If a device ignited over open ocean, a plane could be forced to attempt a risky emergency descent or face catastrophic consequences.