Multiple European airports experienced disruptions and emergency landings on Tuesday due to hoax bomb threats targeting passenger aircraft, raising fears of a coordinated sabotage campaign possibly orchestrated by Russia. At least seven planes, including three originating from Britain, were subjected to anonymous threats that prompted diversions and airport closures.
A flight from London Heathrow to Warsaw's Chopin Airport was diverted to Modlin Airport, which subsequently closed before reopening after a search revealed no explosives. Another Warsaw-bound flight from Copenhagen landed safely at Chopin but was met by police and bomb squads. In Rome, two Ryanair planes bound for Sofia, Bulgaria, were searched at Fiumicino Airport following anonymous tips.
In Murcia, Spain, a Ryanair flight from Manchester was subjected to a 'written security threat,' leading to parts of the airport being cordoned off. Passengers on this flight reported being unaware of the threat until after landing, when they were evacuated from the aircraft. A day prior, a Wizz Air flight from London to Sofia was diverted to Budapest after a bomb threat.
These incidents come amid heightened concerns about Russia's hybrid warfare tactics. European officials have previously blamed Russia and Iran for 'hybrid attacks' and sabotage, allegations both countries deny. The wave of bomb threats follows a recent cyberattack that disrupted refrigerators and freezers in supermarkets across seven European countries.
Security experts suggest these hoax threats could be part of a pattern of low-cost, deniable disruption efforts aimed at destabilizing Europe. Eric Schouten, head of the aviation security group Dyami, stated that such actions align with the narrative of Russian state actors seeking to disturb Europe. Security and Intelligence expert Professor Anthony Glees believes it is 'highly likely' that Russian President Vladimir Putin is responsible, characterizing the events as part of a 'secret subversive war underway using disinformation.' Defense expert Stuart Crawford also suggested the threats could be part of a 'coordinated sub-threshold attack' from Moscow.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reported that Polish forces were mobilized to foil a potential 'provocation' on the country's border with the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Tusk warned of a prolonged 'escalation from the Russian side' and called for heightened vigilance against sabotage operations.
In September, Tusk had warned that Russia's war plans included 'hybrid' attacks against Ukraine's allies. Separately, a sabotage network acting on behalf of Russian intelligence agencies was uncovered in Romania, with members preparing attacks on defense industry facilities within the EU. These revelations precede U.S.-brokered talks between Kyiv and Moscow scheduled for the upcoming week.