Romania Calls in Russian Ambassador Over Suspected Sabotage Plot
Bucharest alleges a coordinated network targeted industrial sites in the county of Brasov.
By Samir Doyle ·
Romanian President Nicusor Dan declared a fire in the county of Brasov a serious violation of national sovereignty on Tuesday. He made the statement one day after the Romanian Intelligence Service announced it had identified a sabotage network linked to the incident. The blaze occurred on September 14 and damaged facilities belonging to several commercial entities.
The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Russian ambassador to Bucharest to lodge a formal protest. Officials stated that investigators presented their findings to the diplomat. The ministry described the actions as unacceptable and emphasized the implications for national security and the safety of citizens.
Russian officials did not comment on the accusations, although Moscow has previously denied allegations of sabotage in European countries. Video footage released by the intelligence service shows a person climbing a fire escape followed by flashes and flames engulfing the building. Two individuals were subsequently seen leaving the scene on bicycles.
The anti-organized crime agency DIICOT is investigating three foreign nationals in connection with the fire. The suspects include two Belarusians and one Ukrainian, all of whom reside in European Union countries. Authorities detained two of the suspects in Germany while they were preparing for similar acts. A European arrest warrant was issued on Monday for the third suspect, who is located in Poland. Officials are seeking to extradite all three individuals to Romania.
Dan characterized the incident as part of a wider hybrid war strategy by Moscow aimed at weakening European democracies. He listed tactics including election interference, disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks, and sabotage. The Romanian intelligence service stated that the network’s missions extend beyond Romania and include a wide range of targets across the region. These targets include state and private weapons manufacturing facilities as well as other military and industrial sites of interest.
Prime Minister Luca Niculescu also condemned the plan, stating that authorities had dismantled a Russian sabotage network aimed at the defense industry. He noted that the attacks would not deter the country’s commitment to securing its citizens. The Interior Ministry said the suspects’ activities match patterns observed in other cases attributed to Russia. Dan also linked the incident to recent attacks on civil maritime transport in the Black Sea, which have resulted in at least three deaths.
The intelligence service reported that investigations this year uncovered other attempts against sites in Romania. These included international military facilities and locations used for training Ukrainian armed forces. The service indicated that Russia assigned the network a broad range of objectives throughout the region.
