A wave of car vandalism, initially blamed on climate activists, is now being linked to Moscow.
German investigators believe that a wave of car vandalism across Germany, initially blamed on radical climate activists, is actually part of a Russian-orchestrated sabotage campaign, according to a Spiegel report published Wednesday.
More than 270 vehicles were damaged in Berlin, Brandenburg, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Saboteurs sprayed construction foam into car exhaust pipes, rendering vehicles unusable, local police departments told Spiegel.
To throw investigators off the scent, the vandals plastered cars with fake eco-stickers featuring Economy Minister Robert Habeck’s face and slogans like “be greener!” According to authorities, their goal was to stoke public outrage against Germany’s Green Party ahead of the national election on Feb. 23.
Since invading Ukraine in 2022, Russia has ramped up sabotage operations across Europe, targeting critical infrastructure like undersea cables and even plotting assassinations of defectors and European weapons-makers.
Western officials link these acts to Moscow’s hybrid warfare strategy, aiming to destabilize NATO countries, disrupt energy supplies and undermine support for Ukraine. In response, allies have intensified intelligence sharing to counter the growing threat.
According to Spiegel, the perpetrators were young men from Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Germany. They weren’t ideological activists but hired hands, recruited at a rate of €100 per vehicle by Russian operatives via messaging apps like Viber.
German intelligence officials warn that Russia is increasingly relying on so-called low-level agents for influence operations. These aren’t trained spies but amateurs from petty criminal backgrounds, willing to cause chaos for a quick payout.
Investigators searched homes linked to the suspects, seizing mobile phones, laptops and cans of construction foam. While no arrests have been made so far, two suspects have fled the country, according to Spiegel.
One of the detained suspects has reportedly confessed, claiming they were promised several thousand euros and assured legal support if caught. The instructions, according to the confession, came directly from a Russian contact.