UK AUTHORITIES INVESTIGATE AIR CARGO INCIDENT
Several press reports have indicated that the UK counter-terrorism police have opened an investigation into the possibility that Russian spies planted an incendiary device on a plane which has subsequently ignited at a warehouse in England. British investigators suspect the incendiary device may be linked to a broader campaign by Russian operatives across Europe.
On 22 July, a fire broke out at a DHL warehouse in Birmingham, where no injuries were reported. The blaze was dealt by the local fire brigade and the depot staff. The parcel in question is believed to have arrived at the warehouse by air, but it is not known if it was transported by cargo or passenger aircraft. This incident follows a similar occurrence at a facility in Leipzig in Germany, where authorities noted that a fire igniting mid-flight could have led to a catastrophic crash. Investigators are exploring possible links between the two incidents.
British authorities suspect that the incendiary device is part of a wider campaign carried out by Russian spies across Europe this year, aimed at inflicting costs on Western allies supporting Ukraine in its war effort. Reports indicate that UK officers are currently liaising with other European law enforcement agencies to determine if this incident is connected to similar occurrences across the continent.
Source: The Guardian, The Loadstar