Russian spies sent a package of electric sex toys to Western Europe before incendiary devices hidden in British and German DHL warehouses were ignited in what is described as alleged evidence of a possible US-bound airstrike.
On July 22, two incendiary devices were shipped through a DHL fulfillment center to Birmingham, England, and Leipzig, Germany, causing a fire.
But it has now been revealed that the explosives were allegedly hidden in a shipment containing erotic items and massage pillows, as they were used as cover for the smuggling of highly dangerous incendiary devices on cargo routes bound for Western Europe.
Sources have suggested that the package in Leipzig was also destined for the UK, but it is still unclear why the UK was the chosen destination for the two devices, originally shipped from Lithuania.
Four people in Poland have been arrested in connection with the July fire and accused of participating in sabotage or terrorist operations on behalf of a foreign intelligence agency. Investigators in the country are also searching for two other people.
Massage pillows and other erotic items were reportedly found in a shipment concealing incendiary devices that were later detonated in British and German DHL warehouses.
The alleged suspect is captured on security camera images.
On July 22, two incendiary devices were shipped through a DHL fulfillment center to Birmingham, England, and Leipzig, Germany, causing a fire.
Images published by the Wall Street Journal, provided by an anonymous European security official, appear to show the massage pillows, the suspects and the moment of the explosion.
The only official statement in the UK about the alleged plot was made last month, when counter-terrorism police confirmed that a device had caught fire in Birmingham, no one was injured and it was treated by local staff and firefighters at the time. ‘.
But researchers believed there could have been much more serious consequences if the camouflaged devices had ignited during flight.
The Polish prosecutor’s office stated: “The group’s goal was also to test the transfer channel for such packages, which would ultimately be sent to the United States of America and Canada.”
The head of Poland’s foreign intelligence agency, Pawel Szota, also blamed Russia, although the prosecutor’s statement did not name any foreign governments suspected of directing the operations.
British police and officials, as well as their European counterparts in Germany, Poland and Lithuania, also strongly suspect that Russia was behind the attacks as part of an effort to cause “chaos” in the West in retaliation for Western military support for Ukraine. .
On Monday, the WSJ reported that the secret weapons were electronic massagers modified with a flammable magnesium-based substance.
Magnesium-related fires are very difficult to put out and are made worse by applying water.
But Russia has denied involvement in the alleged plot.
“These are traditional baseless insinuations by the media,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the American newspaper.
Polish reports claim that two incendiary devices that had been shipped via a DHL fulfillment center on July 22 to Birmingham, England, and Leipzig, Germany, causing a fire, were hidden among a package of “erotic items and massage pillows.” “.
The head of the German intelligence service, Thomas Haldenwang, previously warned of an increase in “aggressive behavior” from Moscow.
The plane’s delay was considered fortunate and experts warned there could have been a very different outcome if it had taken off on time.
Concerns about suspected Russian involvement have arisen as Western officials increasingly fear the country could be responsible for similar acts of sabotage.
German intelligence chief Thomas Haldenwang previously said Russian “aggression” was “putting people’s lives at risk” as well as affecting “all areas of our free society.”
Haldenwang told a Bundestag committee that if the package had ignited after the plane took off, the plane would have crashed.
The Kremlin’s aggression is “putting people’s lives at risk,” in addition to affecting “all areas of our free society,” he said.
Foreign intelligence chief Bruno Kahl added that Putin is likely to “further test the West’s red lines” amid rising tensions between Russia and NATO over the invasion of Ukraine.
He said there was now a willingness at a “previously unknown level” to attempt sabotage from the Kremlin.
A warehouse in London belonging to a company with links to Ukraine caught fire in an alleged deliberate attack in March.
Meanwhile, in Germany, a military base was the target of an alleged attempt to contaminate its drinking water in August.
US intelligence also uncovered a plot to assassinate Armin Papperger, CEO of arms maker Rheinmetall, which has supplied vehicles and ammunition to Ukraine.
And Russia was accused by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk of being behind a fire at a shopping center in Warsaw.
