Kremlin uses local gangs in new attacks on European arms plants

The Kremlin is reportedly using local criminal gangs to carry out attacks on European defense manufacturers, aiming to test NATO's response capabilities while maintaining plausible deniability, according to The Telegraph. Latvia has detained three citizens suspected of setting fire to a Milrem Robotics facility in Estonia, which is a key supplier of unmanned ground systems to Ukraine.

Similar incidents have occurred in Italy, Bulgaria, and Czechia, with explosions at weapons manufacturing plants. While Italian and Bulgarian officials have downplayed Russian involvement, Western intelligence sources believe Russia's GRU military intelligence agency is behind the attacks, utilizing local criminal groups to avoid risking their own operational security.

NATO officials warn that these hybrid warfare tactics are intended to fuel tensions among NATO allies and deter support for Ukraine.

Brief written by urgent.news from New Voice of Ukraine's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.