Fears of a dangerous escalation between Russia and the West have intensified after Denmark warned that Moscow is preparing sabotage operations against defence companies supporting Ukraine.
Denmark’s counter-intelligence service PET said Russian intelligence services were seeking to recruit Danish citizens to carry out acts of sabotage against companies involved in military support for Kyiv.
Emil Gresholm, PET’s head of counter-espionage, said Russia was “both planning and carrying out acts of sabotage against defence companies and the defence industry in Europe”.
Danish companies involved in military support for Ukraine were among the potential targets, according to PET, which said Russian intelligence was attempting to recruit ordinary Danes through social media and gaming platforms.
Those recruited could be given tasks such as photographing companies or infrastructure, potentially as part of preparations for subsequent sabotage operations.
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The warning adds to growing European concern over what governments describe as Russian hybrid warfare — a campaign of covert activity intended to disrupt Western support for Ukraine without triggering a direct military confrontation between Russia and NATO.
PET said there were no indications that Danish critical infrastructure was being separately prioritised as a Russian sabotage target, according to the Kyiv Independent.
The Danish assessment is significant because it suggests that Russian intelligence activity extends beyond conventional espionage and information gathering to preparations for physical attacks on defence-related businesses.
Denmark, a Nato member and a major supporter of Ukraine, has become an important contributor to Kyiv’s military effort, making companies involved in supplying or supporting Ukraine potentially attractive targets for Russian disruption.
The warning follows Germany’s accusation that Russia attempted to carry out a drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport in August, adding to European concerns about the use of covert operations against infrastructure and strategic targets.
There is no indication that Nato is preparing for an imminent conventional war with Russia. Instead, European governments are increasingly focused on a broader form of confrontation involving sabotage, espionage, cyber attacks and other covert operations.
The risks are nevertheless becoming harder to contain within Ukraine’s borders. With Russia accused of targeting the defence industry of a Nato member, and western governments continuing to expand their military support for Kyiv, the potential for further confrontation between Moscow and European capitals is growing.
Britain has also faced increasingly hostile rhetoric from Vladimir Putin over its support for Ukraine.
The Russian president was asked whether Moscow could strike British military facilities if the UK continued supplying weapons to Ukraine.
He declined to provide a direct answer, instead smiling and saying: “It’s a military secret.”
The remarks came as western governments continued to support Ukraine despite repeated warnings from Moscow against deeper involvement in the conflict.
European intelligence agencies have increasingly warned that the confrontation with Russia is being fought not only on the battlefield but through covert activity designed to disrupt western governments, defence companies and critical infrastructure.
The Danish warning underlines the extent to which the war in Ukraine is generating security risks well beyond the front line, as European governments attempt to defend their support for Kyiv while avoiding a direct conflict with Moscow.
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