European officials fear Russia-linked sabotage could cause mass casualties
EU ambassadors have stepped up restricted talks since an explosives-laden drone was found at Leipzig airport in August, with discussions focused on the risk of attacks causing large-scale casualties, Politico reported. European governments are preparing for the possibility of a deadly attack below the threshold of open war, while analysts say the range of potential targets—from airports and factories to critical infrastructure—is difficult to protect.
Bottom line — Annabelle Walker of Sibylline calls a high-impact attack plausible within six months, while saying its likelihood remains fairly low in the coming year.
Go deeper 7
-
Ukrainska Pravda reports that three explosive-laden drones targeted a Ukrainian Antonov aircraft at Leipzig airport; the attempt failed.
-
The i Paper reports that an eastern-flank diplomat described Russia’s approach as testing how much it can do without being caught.
-
Estonia’s foreign minister Margus Tsahkna called Russia’s campaign “full-scale terror” and said it seeks to divide Western support for Ukraine.
-
Sibylline analyst Annabelle Walker cited the Baltics, Germany and Poland as possible targets, including through explosives, arson, cyber attacks or drones.
-
Chatham House researcher Katja Bego said potential targets range from power plants and airports to subsea cables and factories.
-
Ukrainska Pravda says European governments have not uniformly blamed Moscow for incidents; authorities in Bulgaria and Italy cited production problems or human error in factory explosions.
-
The i Paper reports that British officials have no clear policy on when a drone should be shot down, with responsibility still in flux.