Russia Steps Up Sabotage Attacks on Danish Defense Firms, Intelligence Says

Russia has begun sabotage operations against Danish companies supplying military equipment to Ukraine after concluding that broader efforts to disrupt Western support for Kyiv had failed, Josefine Christensen, a lead analyst at Denmark’s Security and Intelligence Service (PET), said Wednesday. Christensen made the remarks at a homeland security conference in Copenhagen, describing the shift as a significant escalation in Moscow’s hybrid warfare campaign.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “What we saw in the spring was a lot of planning, but very little carried out; what we saw in early summer is that they started to carry out a lot more,” Christensen said, according to Reuters. Russia concluded that its previous broad targeting “did not have the effect of deterring the Western (military alliance) NATO from supporting Ukraine,” she said. Moscow is now “trying to hit targets that have a direct impact on the front line. That means weapons production,” Christensen added. Russia has repeatedly denied involvement in sabotage or hybrid warfare operations. The Russian Embassy in Copenhagen rejected the allegations Wednesday, accusing Danish authorities of making unfounded claims against Russia. Christensen also cited an April list published by Russia’s Defense Ministry naming European drone and drone-component manufacturers that Moscow identified as potential military targets. Other Topics of Interest ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 7, 2026 War in Ukraine - Latest update, key takeaways and map from the Institute for the Study of War on November 7, 2026. ‘Anyone just looking for quick money’ Russia is increasingly relying on untrained proxies recruited through Telegram and other social media platforms, including homeless people and people addicted to drugs, according to PET. Recruitment typically begins with low-level tasks such as reconnaissance or photographing potential targets before escalating to sabotage operations. “It could be anyone just looking for quick money,” Christensen said. “If the first person isn’t successful, they’ll throw another one at the problem until they succeed.” Denmark’s defense intelligence service said last month that Russia was likely to intensify hybrid attacks against Western countries in the coming months, following Germany’s accusation that Moscow was responsible for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in August. In September 2025, ahead of Denmark hosting an EU summit, drones disrupted air traffic at six Danish airports, including Copenhagen, the Nordic region’s busiest. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the incident a hybrid attack against Denmark. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.