cnnespanol.cnn.com
Russia's Covert Operation Targeting North American Flights
A covert Russian operation used incendiary devices to target flights to North America, prompting investigations and arrests across Europe.
Spanish
United States
RussiaRussia Ukraine WarTerrorismInvestigationSabotageInternational Incident
DhlKremlinNato
Dmitry Peskov
- How did the Russian government respond to the accusations?
- The Kremlin denied accusations of Russian involvement, calling them unfounded media insinuations. A US official stated there's no current active threat to US-bound flights.
- How were the incendiary devices disguised and transported?
- The devices, disguised as electric massagers containing flammable magnesium, were sent from Lithuania to the UK, seemingly a test for smuggling similar devices onto North American-bound planes.
- What is the current status of the investigations into these incidents?
- Investigations are ongoing in the UK and across Europe, with authorities collaborating to determine links between similar incidents. This incident is another example of Russia's increasingly bold sabotage operations against NATO.
- What actions have Polish authorities taken in response to the incident?
- Polish authorities arrested four individuals in October, suspecting their involvement in international sabotage, with two more suspects still at large. The group's goal was to test a transfer channel for sending similar devices to the US and Canada.
- What was the purpose of the alleged Russian operation involving incendiary devices?
- In July 2023, incendiary devices detonated in Germany and the UK, part of a covert Russian operation aiming to ignite fires on cargo and passenger flights to the US and Canada.