Russia warns citizens as sabotage incidents hit record high
The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has warned that participating in acts of sabotage on behalf of Ukraine’s special services could result in up to 20 years of imprisonment. This statement follows a record number of 55 sabotage acts reported in just one week. These acts were reportedly carried out by retirees, students, and even pupils who were encouraged and instructed through social media.
Without providing specific details of the incidents, Russian authorities reported that from December 18 to December 26, 55 arson and explosion events occurred in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Leningrad, Novosibirsk, Tver, Tula, Krasnoyarsk, the Altai region, and eastern Russia. Internal affairs officers and other law enforcement agencies detained 44 individuals in connection with these incidents.
The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that older individuals and retirees predominantly committed the crimes. However, younger people, including students and pupils, were also involved and motivated to earn quick money.
According to the statement, the suspects acted based on instructions from unidentified individuals via phone or internet platforms. Promising financial rewards was a common element of the criminal operation. Russian authorities further alleged that Ukrainian special services orchestrated these activities.
55 acts of sabotage in a week: "Propaganda statement"
The Russian agency Interfax reported the case. Following this, Russian-language opposition and independent outlets such as Mediazona noted that 55 acts of sabotage in one week would be a record. From fall 2022 to spring 2023, Russia experienced a wave of arson attacks targeting military recruitment offices involved in army mobilization.
"I believe that this statement has a purely propaganda tone. Russian authorities fear these actions; they don’t know who is organizing them and appeal to the public to avoid making suspicious online contacts. At the same time, they intimidate the public: beware of such individuals. Something could happen to you, too," commented Major Dr Anna Grabowska-Siwiec, a former counterintelligence officer of the Internal Security Agency.
She noted that the Russian report lacks detail about investigations or incidents, so it remains uncertain whether the diversions mentioned indeed occurred in Russia.
"It is true that services extensively use so-called proxy agents, recruiting individuals via the Internet to undertake relatively simple actions, often motivated by financial incentives or political emotions. The 'agents' themselves may not be aware that they are working for these services," explained the former ABW officer.
Below is a report from the media and police on an attempted arson at a gas station in Krasnoyarsk.
"Ukraine likely does not have the capability to conduct small-scale sabotage operations in Russia on a large scale. This requires teams dedicated to such targets, engaging in recruitment, etc. Meanwhile, Ukraine faces personnel shortages for combat operations to defend the country. I think Ukrainian services focus on spectacular actions, like the destruction of the Nord Stream II pipeline or the recent assassination attempt on a general," commented Maj. Anna Grabowska-Siwiec.
"They aim to stir emotions and intimidate Russian authorities," she emphasized.
In mid-December, an assassination attempt was made on General Igor Kirillov, the head of Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defence in the Russian army. He died after a bomb placed in an electric scooter left at his home's entrance exploded.
The general’s assassination is attributed to the use of "proxy" agents recruited by Ukrainian intelligence. According to unofficial Russian media sources, the explosive device was allegedly planted by an Uzbek citizen recruited through social media.
Meanwhile, cases involving Russian "proxy" agents include individuals recruited to monitor train movements from Poland to Ukraine, transporting military supplies. Two Poles associated with the hooligan movement were allegedly tasked with assaulting Leonid Volkov, a leader of the Russian opposition and the former head of the Anti-Corruption Foundation in Russia, in Vilnius.
In Germany, a case emerged involving Russian-origin immigrants who were investigating NATO facilities for potential sabotage opportunities.
