Suspected Russian ‘Test Runs’ Spark Concerns for US Cargo Flight Safety

Polish prosecutors have uncovered what they believe to be a chilling plot: a series of parcel fires targeting courier companies in Poland, Germany, and the UK were not isolated incidents but dry runs in a sinister campaign from Russia, to sabotage flights bound for the United States and Canada.

Katarzyna Calow-Jaszewska revealed late last month that four suspects had been arrested, triggering a sprawling investigation across Europe. The fires, which erupted in July, have been linked by Western security officials to Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, in what they suspect is a meticulously orchestrated operation. Russia, as expected, denies any involvement, though it has previously been blamed for other attacks on infrastructure across the European Union, including strikes on warehouses and railway lines in Sweden and the Czech Republic.

Ms. Calow-Jaszewska’s statement outlined a disturbing method: foreign intelligence operatives allegedly concealed explosive and incendiary devices within parcels shipped through unsuspecting courier services. These packages would suddenly ignite or detonate—carefully timed chaos masked by mundane deliveries.

Western intelligence now points to a harrowing detail: the fires were sparked by electric massage devices containing a “magnesium-based” compound. Fires fueled by magnesium are notoriously difficult to extinguish, and if one were to erupt mid-flight, the potential consequences could be catastrophic. According to Ms. Calow-Jaszewska, these trial runs were meant to test the feasibility of smuggling such devices onto flights bound for North America.

Lithuania’s involvement has deepened suspicions, with Lithuanian prosecutor general Nida Grunskiene confirming arrests and a pre-trial investigation. Across Europe, authorities are racing to understand the full scope of the plot, which saw fires break out on three separate occasions in July—each time dangerously close to major cargo hubs. In Leipzig, Germany, flames erupted at a container set to be loaded onto a DHL cargo plane. Near Warsaw, a similar blaze required hours to contain, while in Minworth, near Birmingham, UK, an incendiary device sparked a counter-terrorism investigation.

The head of the UK’s MI5, Ken McCallum, warned that Russian agents have resorted to increasingly reckless sabotage, sparking fires and wreaking havoc in retaliation for Western support to Ukraine. The Kremlin, predictably, dismissed these allegations.

In response to these covert assaults, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration has heightened security for US-bound cargo flights. Although no immediate threats have been confirmed, a shadow of doubt lingers. Across Europe, unexplained fires in cargo depots have provoked alarm and intensified counter-terrorism efforts.

The plot’s magnitude only becomes clearer when considering the near-disaster in Leipzig. Germany’s domestic intelligence chief, Thomas Haldenwang, emphasized just how close the package came to igniting midair—a potential catastrophe narrowly averted. Taken together, these incidents form a troubling mosaic: a suspected campaign of covert attacks, executed with chilling precision and anonymity, by a shadowy hand seeking to sow chaos among those aiding Ukraine.

As tension mounts, DHL has fortified its defenses, and Poland has retaliated by closing a Russian consulate, escalating diplomatic hostilities. Moscow’s warning of a “painful response” suggests that this battle of shadows is far from over.