Romanian Intelligence Service Says Russian-Coordinated Network Set Sept. 14 Fire Near State Arms Plant

Romanian authorities say a sabotage network run from Moscow set a fire near a state-owned weapons company in September. The accusation is the latest in a run of arson and explosion cases at European defense sites.

The Romanian Intelligence Service said Monday, Oct. 26, that the Sept. 14 blaze in Brasov, in central Romania, was "part of a wider campaign of sabotage operations coordinated" by Russia. The fire broke out near CARFIL SA, a subsidiary of the national arms group ROMARM.

The agency said the network's handlers assigned targets that included "state and private weapons production facilities, as well as other objectives of military and industrial interest."

Three suspects, two in German custody

Romania's organized crime and terrorism prosecutors, known as DIICOT, said three people were involved in the Brasov fire: two Belarusians and a Ukrainian, all living in EU countries.

Two of them were "tracked down and remanded in custody in Germany while they were preparing to commit similar offenses," DIICOT said. Prosecutors are seeking their extradition to Romania.

The third man's status in Poland is described differently. DIICOT's statement says he remains at large there. Reuters reported a Ukrainian suspect detained in Poland. European authorities issued an arrest warrant for him on Monday.

Romanian officials also say the trio coordinated similar incidents before Brasov. Officials said the suspects were coerced by Russian operatives, according to the Kyiv Independent.

How the recruiting works

The Intelligence Service laid out how these networks operate. Recruits are often found on social media and offered money "for a seemingly harmless task," such as "observing or photographing certain targets."

Then the tasks escalate. "Over time, the tasks become increasingly serious, potentially involving acts of vandalism, arson or even murder," the agency said.

The stated aim, in the agency's words, is to "intimidate, undermine defence capabilities and weaken the contribution of the targeted states to European and regional security."

Part of a wider pattern

Foreign Minister Dan Neculaescu called the fire "part of a broader campaign of sabotage across Europe" targeting military production. "Hybrid attacks will not hold us back from strengthening our resilience and defense," he wrote on X.

Other recent incidents across Europe include:

• Bulgaria, September: explosions and a fire at an ammunition storage site, weeks after a blaze at another munitions facility. Both sites are operated by the arms maker EMCO, whose munitions are used in Ukraine.
• Munich, September: firebombs thrown near the offices of a defense company. Romanian authorities said that month they had detained a Russian citizen accused of filming and photographing military sites in preparation for sabotage.
• Estonia, August: Estonian officials said an arson attack on a defense contractor in Tallinn was likely caused by Russian sabotage operations.
• Lithuania, Oct. 18: Lithuanian forces thwarted Russian attempts to burn down Starlink communications equipment. A similar incident occurred in Poland less than a month earlier.

A year ago, Poland and Romania detained eight people suspected of involvement in a Russian plan to send exploding parcels to Ukraine.

Russia's response

Russia has not commented on the Brasov allegation. Its embassy in Bucharest could not be reached outside business hours, and Moscow has repeatedly denied such accusations. No court has ruled on the case, and the suspects have not been tried.

Romania on the front line

Romania, an EU and NATO member, shares a border of more than 600 km (370 miles) with Ukraine. President Nicusor Dan has said the country is the target of a hybrid war meant to destabilize nations that back Kyiv. He lists drone incursions into Romanian airspace, cyberattacks, disinformation, sabotage and attacks on cargo vessels near Romanian waters.

Dan accused Russia of escalating against NATO's eastern flank this month. At least eight cargo ships have been hit off the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria in the past three weeks, with about 34 sailors reported dead or missing. A civilian cargo ship sank on Oct. 23 after a series of strikes.

The Brasov case shows the low-cost end of that campaign. Per the Intelligence Service's description, it takes no missiles or aircraft, only recruits found online and small payments. The cost to the target is a fire at an industrial site near a weapons producer and a strained security apparatus.

The next step is legal. Romanian prosecutors are pursuing extradition of the two men held in Germany, and the arrest warrant for the third suspect is active. Whether Romanian courts can try all three, and what evidence ties them to Russian handlers, has not been made public.

Romania has not said what damage the Brasov fire caused or whether production at the nearby weapons company was disrupted.