Experts warn Russia’s sabotage puts European lives at risk

Increased hybrid attacks against Ukraine’s allies show that human lives are also at risk, defence experts told ERR. Russia’s war has expanded to include Ukraine’s European allies, with attack drones found at Leipzig-Halle Airport providing the latest example. Ukraine’s war of attrition has become a war of attrition in Europe, the experts said.

“Russia is becoming more aggressive. First, it needs to tie up Western resources in every way and create many domestic problems. Second, it wants to end support for Ukraine. Third, it is targeting specific people and companies, especially those linked to the defence industry,” said Arnold Sinisalu, a visiting professor at the University of Tartu’s Johan Skytte Institute and former head of Kapo.

Sinisalu recalled the case of Rheinmetall chief Armin Papperger, whom Russia allegedly planned to kill because the company supplied Ukraine with ammunition and equipment.

“The attempted attack and assassination of Papperger was a clear example. An attempt was also made to set fire to the former home of a British prime minister. State leaders are protected, but it is not possible to protect everyone else. The escalation shows that Russia does not care about people, and it is entirely logical that there will be victims,” Sinisalu said.

The Foreign Intelligence Service said it had already warned last year about the threat posed by acts of sabotage. The perpetrators and motives remain the same, it said.

According to the agency, the sabotage campaign will not change Russia’s reputation among Western countries or weaken support for Ukraine. However, the risk of miscalculation, meaning possible casualties, remains.