Russia stepping up sabotage against Danish companies that supply Ukraine, PET analyst says
Danish analyst warns Moscow is escalating operations and recruiting untrained intermediaries to hit companies producing weapons for Ukraine.
Russia has begun sabotage operations against Danish companies that supply weapons to Ukraine, Josefine Christensen, the chief analyst at the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET), said on Tuesday at a domestic security conference in Copenhagen.
"In the spring we witnessed extensive planning of operations, the number carried out was very small. And at the start of summer we observed that they began to carry out significantly more of them," Christensen said, describing a shift from planning to more frequent execution.
Escalating tactics and new targets
According to Christensen, Moscow concluded that earlier attempts had not deterred NATO from supporting Ukraine, and political control over the operations remains in Russia while operational boldness is increasing. She warned that Russian activity is increasingly aimed at targets with a direct effect on the battlefield — notably arms production and suppliers.
Christensen said Moscow is relying more often on untrained intermediaries recruited through Telegram and other social networks, including homeless people and individuals with drug dependencies. "It can be anyone looking for quick earnings. If the first person fails, they will send a second to that task, until they succeed," she said, adding that recruitment typically begins with simple tasks such as reconnaissance or photography and later escalates to sabotage.
The Russian Embassy in Copenhagen dismissed the allegations and accused Danish authorities of making unfounded claims against Russia. Christensen also referenced a list published by the Russian Ministry of Defence in April that named several European manufacturers of drones and drone components, which Moscow portrayed as potential military targets without providing further detail.
The warnings come after the Danish Defence Intelligence Service last month said Russia was likely to intensify hybrid attacks on the West, following Germany's accusation that Russia attempted a drone attack on Leipzig airport in August. In September 2025, drones disrupted flights at six Danish airports, including Copenhagen, an episode Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called a hybrid attack on her country.
Photo: press material from the event
