Dozens of European flights targeted by threats possibly originating in Russia

Newsrooms in Ireland and Bulgaria received bomb threats via email on Friday from a person claiming to be Mikhail Andropov. The threats claimed responsibility for a series of hoax disruptions to passenger flights across Europe. Both Nova TV in Bulgaria and Irish broadcaster RTE evacuated offices and suspended programming after receiving the messages, which were headlined "Message to the West" and depicted the threats as a precursor to further attacks on European transportation.

The British broadcaster Sky also reported receiving a security threat. Reuters could not determine the sender's identity or the origin of the emails, but the reports contributed to growing concerns among European officials that these hoaxes constituted part of a broader campaign of "hybrid" disruptions, possibly linked to Russia, targeting countries supportive of Ukraine.

Despite no explosive devices being found, all flights, including those threatened, landed safely. Experts suggested the threats may have been intended to penalize European nations that have aided Ukraine, or possibly to create false narratives through copycat threats or personal grievances. NATO announced it would increase air patrols in the region as a response to the heightened security concerns.

No country publicly attributed responsibility for the threats, but officials noted that Europe had been experiencing a campaign of "hybrid" disruptions, including sabotage of critical infrastructure, cyber breaches, and election interference, all aimed at destabilizing societies and fostering mistrust among citizens.