Allegedly, Russia underwent an assault in Berlin
It appears that a blaze at a factory owned by Diehl Metal Applications, a subsidiary of the Diehl Group, a defense company, might've been Russia's latest move in their silent war against the West, according to intel officials' statements. Initially, the assumption was that an accident was the culprit.
Following the fire on the outskirts of Berlin last month, German investigators considered the accident as the most probable cause. However, western security agencies now posit that the fire was deliberately set by Russian saboteurs to disrupt the delivery of vital weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.
European countries, wary of escalation, have avoided public blame against Moscow. Nonetheless, private intel officials admit that Russia has seemingly been executing attacks on civilian and military installations, as well as people, in Europe. These attacks are believed to be linked to efforts to aid Ukraine in resisting invading Russian troops.
As stated by the "Wall Street Journal," citing security sources, the attack was likely the work of "skilled professionals." Russia is said to recruit civilians, notably criminals, through social networks like Telegram and pay them in cryptocurrencies. The is reminiscent of a Gig-Economy for sabotage and terror, with attackers recruited much like Uber drivers. The outcome is often similar to that of employing professionals.
The German factory produces and processes metal components for various applications and is part of Diehl Metal Applications, a subsidiary of Diehl-Gruppe, a defense company. The factory has restarted operations. Diehl is renowned for the IRIS-T air defense system developed by its defense division, which is also in use in Ukraine.
Intelligence Reports Offered Proof
As the company announced on Friday, the fire was due to a technical issue, according to a report from its insurers. A company representative stated that the technical issue "theoretically" could have been caused by sabotage. An internal security service representative stated that no possible cause, including sabotage, could be ruled out.
The fire at the Diehl factory most likely started in an area with limited access, according to a source familiar with the investigation, and all video recordings were destroyed in the fire. The source added that a series of incidents, previously classified as accidents, should be reassessed in light of the recent events.
In the case of Diehl, intercepted electronic intelligence reports provided evidence for Russian involvement. However, these were inadmissible as evidence in German courts, preventing the authorities from definitively linking the attack and filing criminal charges, according to two German officials. The German government was first notified of the intercepted information by a intelligence agency of an ally NATO country.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to intel officials, dozens of incidents have taken place throughout Europe, many of which may be the doing of Russian intelligence services. These incidents are aimed at restricting weapons production, putting pressure on politicians, and instilling fear.
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In response to the allegations of Russian involvement in the attack on the Diehl factory, European countries have remained cautious in publicly assigning blame. However, private intelligence officials have confirmed that Russia appears to be carrying out attacks on civilian and military installations in Europe, potentially to aid Ukraine in its conflict with Russian troops.
Russia's alleged involvement in the fire at the Diehl factory in Berlin, which is believed to have been deliberately set to disrupt the delivery of weapons to Ukraine, is not an isolated incident. According to intelligence reports, dozens of similar incidents have taken place throughout Europe since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, demonstrating a pattern of targeted attacks aimed at restricting weapons production, putting pressure on politicians, and instilling fear.
