Had the explosive device at Leipzig Airport detonated on the 4th of August, investigators might not have gained such a clear insight into what European officials regard as a wider campaign of Russian attacks, reports Politico.In early August, a package at Leipzig Airport struck the wing of a Ukrainian aircraft and fell onto the tarmac. It contained explosives that failed to detonate, thereby providing investigators with a valuable piece of evidence: the device itself. According to German Federal Police investigation documents, the device was encased in a metal plate featuring several circular indentations.This was not the first time such an improvised explosive device had been discovered in Europe. Almost two years earlier—on the 20th of August, 2024—police investigators and an explosive ordnance disposal unit visited a cemetery in Kaunas. According to the Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau, Lithuanian authorities had received information from Poland regarding explosives and a Ukrainian national who had planted them on behalf of Russian special services. Near an old gravesite, hidden beneath artificial flowers and concrete fragments, investigators found a plastic bag containing two tin cans. The labels indicated they contained corn, but an examination revealed that the cans held 968 grams of explosives—equivalent to 700 grams of TNT, or the explosive power of four hand grenades.In January and June 2025, investigators discovered several more explosive-filled cans at various locations in Lithuania. Four of them were attached to metal plates featuring circular indentations; investigators noted that, in the event of an explosion, these would have produced shrapnel. Analysis revealed that all the plates had likely been manufactured using the same equipment.The explosive devices found at Leipzig Airport bore a striking resemblance to the items discovered in Lithuania. However, similarity alone does not prove that the devices were part of the same operation. Nevertheless, two Western security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that the devices matched others, thereby linking them to a broader Russian campaign. The similarity in execution is one element of a trend that, according to German and European officials, points to a growing sabotage campaign across Europe orchestrated by Russian intelligence services. According to three senior German and European security officials, the primary driver of the campaign is Russia’s military intelligence agency (GRU). At its core is Unit 29155, which is linked to destabilization operations targeting European nations.German authorities have indicated that, as Russian dictator Vladimir Putin seeks ways to diminish military support for Ukraine and raise the political cost of backing Kyiv, various hybrid operations are to be expected in the future. Gerhard Schindler, the former head of the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND), stated that the goal is to instill a fear of direct military confrontation among the public—thereby casting doubt on support for Ukraine—and that the Russians will consequently intensify military pressure on Ukraine while expanding hybrid operations in the West.The Russian Embassy in Berlin denied Moscow’s involvement in acts of sabotage across Europe and stated that it categorically rejects unfounded accusations regarding an alleged drone incident at Leipzig Airport, as well as other activities aimed at sabotage.One of the clearest leads involves Olegs Levushkin, a Latvian-Russian dual national suspected by German authorities of helping to orchestrate an attack at Leipzig Airport. According to investigative documents and a statement by a high-ranking German official, Levushkin is not a low-level recruit but rather a logistics officer linked to the GRU, with long-standing ties to Russian intelligence services. On social media, Levushkin offers a glimpse into a seemingly ordinary life, showcasing motorcycle trips to Crimea and the Hungarian-Serbian border, visits to the Volgograd monument, and leisure activities such as fishing, skiing, and traveling across Europe with his family.According to a German intelligence official and investigative documents, investigators believe that in late July, Levushkin traveled via Turkey to Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport to prepare for the Leipzig operation. He rented a car at the airport on the 27th of July. Investigators believe the explosives were brought into Germany via Bulgaria and Serbia, concealed in long-haul trucks.On the 31st of July, the rental car was spotted near Leipzig Airport, and investigators believe Levushkin conducted reconnaissance there prior to the attempted attack. Levushkin has not responded to requests for comment on this information.Levushkin is believed to have ties to high-ranking GRU officials and has maintained a close relationship with GRU Colonel Denis Smolyaninov for approximately 20 years. The 2025 report by the Lithuanian State Security Department states that Smolyaninov is the head of the GRU’s Ukraine division, specializes in psychological operations, and is linked to sabotage campaigns in Europe orchestrated via Telegram. The 2025 intelligence report notes that Smolyaninov also coordinated the activities of Longifolia, a Russia-linked military company registered in Panama. European investigators suspect several of the company’s shareholders of involvement in an operation that saw explosive devices sent to Poland and the UK. One of the packages caught fire en route to Leipzig Airport in July 2024, while another ignited in Birmingham two days later. Lithuanian intelligence agencies link this operation to the GRU, specifically to Unit 29155.Western governments and investigators have previously linked Unit 29155 to a series of operations in Europe, including explosions at arms depots in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, as well as the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in the UK. Lithuanians also link Unit 29155 to recent arson attacks, including those at an IKEA store in Vilnius and a post office in Bucharest.German officials have blamed the GRU for a failed arson attack on a defense company in Munich, while Estonia has stated that an attack on Milrem Robotics in August was orchestrated by Russian intelligence services. European security agencies consulted by the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network believe the number of such attacks will rise in the coming months; potential targets include defense companies, critical infrastructure, and individuals supporting Ukraine.Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, the former head of Austria’s domestic intelligence service, stated that the Kremlin views its relationship with Europe as a “systemic conflict.” He, too, predicted an increase in the number of such incidents.
A botched sabotage attempt in Leipzig has shed light on a broader Russian campaign · BNN
