MILAN and KEILCE, Poland — Europe’s leading defense industry group is urging companies, governments, and security agencies to “work closely together” to anticipate sabotage threats after a string of mysterious fires and explosions, often at defense-linked sites across the continent.
“Reports of an increasing number of sabotage incidents and attempted sabotage targeting [European] defense-related organisations underline the need for vigilance across the sector,” a spokesperson from the Aerospace, Security & Defense Industries Association (ASD) of Europe, told Breaking Defense.
The spokesperson added that in this context that “it is more important than ever that industry, governments and security authorities work closely together to monitor evolving threats, share information and take appropriate measures to protect facilities and maintain secure, resilient operations.”
The warning from ASD, which says it represents over 4,000 companies in 22 countries, echoes those of European officials who are increasingly sounding the alarm — and pointing the finger directly at Moscow.
“The Russians are actively preparing acts of sabotage targeting the defense industry in Denmark,” Emil Græsholm, head of counter-intelligence at Denmark’s Security and Intelligence Service, told a local media outlet on Sept. 2. Græsholm warned that defense firms with ties to military support for Ukraine were particularly high-value prey.
