Russian agents researched fire protocols at a factory owned by a German arms firm shortly before it burst into flames last summer, The Telegraph can reveal. Western officials have long suspected that the blaze, which broke out in May 2024 at a Berlin factory owned by the Diehl group, was the work of Russian saboteurs trying to disrupt the supply chain of arms deliveries to Ukraine. But it can now be revealed that suspected Russian agents tried to find out information about fire safety measures around the site in the run-up to the incident. “There were internet investigations [in Russia] a few weeks before and after the event, on what fire engines they have and what protocols they have,” a European security source with knowledge of the investigation told The Telegraph. The source noted that the suspects made little effort to cover their tracks online, suggesting that they wanted Western intelligence agencies to know Russia was involved. “Russians are not as stupid as to leave that breadcrumb trail, sometimes they simply want us to find out they have flexed their muscles. It’s part of the hybrid warfare,” they said. The source said the investigation, which had not yet found hard proof of Russian sabotage, added that “very smart people are working on the case and figuring it out”.
Russia has been waging a so-called hybrid war campaign on the West since Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, by way of retaliation for the West’s military support of Kyiv. A key part of the campaign is trying to disrupt or destroy weapons being transferred by Germany and other Western allies to Ukrainian soldiers. Moscow is suspected of targeting factories across Europe that support arms deliveries to Ukraine, planting firebombs on aircraft, and even plotting to assassinate the chief executive of Rheinmetall, a major German arms company. This week, Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, announced that two suspicious fires at shopping centres in Poland and Lithuania had been confirmed as acts of Russian sabotage. Diehl Metall, which is part of the Diehl group, blamed a technical fault for the fire, following an investigation by its insurers, and has said that “in theory” sabotage may have played a role. The Berlin factory, which resumed operations shortly after the fire, produces metals for various purposes. The Diehl group is well known for its production of air defence systems.
A second European security source said: “It’s definitely safe to say that there are suspicions that this was Russia. We are seeing frequent cases of suspected hybrid warfare like this, and it won’t be the last case.” German authorities initially ruled the Diehl factory fire as an accident. But they later launched a new investigation after receiving intelligence from a foreign ally which suggested Russian involvement. Last June, security officials told the Wall Street Journal that the fire was started by experienced professionals on behalf of Russia, but who were not necessarily part of the Russian state. Officials familiar with the investigation told the newspaper that the blaze began in an area where only a few people would have had access, while CCTV footage of that location was destroyed in the fire. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
