Romanian intelligence service says it prevented Russian sabotage operation

Romania’s SRI intelligence service prevented a sabotage operation coordinated by Russia on ​Romanian territory, it said on Tuesday, ‌as Ukraine’s European allies seek to counteract what they say are Moscow’s attempts to destabilise them.

European countries blame ​Moscow for sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation targeting ​supporters of Kyiv’s war effort.

They include an ⁠August drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport that ratcheted ​up tensions between Berlin and Moscow.

Russia has repeatedly ​denied any involvement in sabotage. The Russian embassy in Bucharest did not immediately respond to a request for ​comment on Tuesday.

SRI said a Russian citizen ​based in Romania had been under surveillance since February as ‌part ⁠of an investigation involving international partners, adding that his actions repeated the pattern seen in previous cases.

“The Russian citizen was instructed by ​an intermediary ​to make ⁠photo-video materials with targets of strategic military interest, including Ukrainian ANTONOV cargo ​aircraft during their presence on the ​national ⁠territory,” SRI said in a statement.

Read more: Reuters