PET uncovers Russian sabotage plans targeting Danish defence firms

Danish authorities have uncovered concrete Russian plans for sabotage operations against companies in Denmark, DR reported, citing Emil Græsholm, head of counterintelligence at the Danish Security and Intelligence Service, PET.

Græsholm told Berlingske that this was not simply a warning that sabotage might eventually reach Denmark. Authorities were already seeing “very concrete” planning for such operations.

The targets include companies in the defence industry linked to military assistance for Ukraine. In a written response to DR, PET confirmed that Russian intelligence services are actively preparing sabotage operations aimed at Denmark’s defence industry.

PET has also identified concrete examples of Russia trying to recruit ordinary Danes through social media and regular online platforms. They may be asked to photograph companies or installations for use in planning sabotage operations, Græsholm said.

“It is extremely serious if ordinary Danes assist Russian intelligence services, either knowingly or unknowingly,” he said.

Græsholm said PET was working closely with the Danish Defence Intelligence Service and the Agency for Societal Safety. The country’s police districts are also being regularly updated on the threat situation.

Jakob Kaarsbo, a former chief analyst at the Danish Defence Intelligence Service, said the public statement could also be intended as a signal to Russia that Danish authorities were aware of its activities and were monitoring them closely.

Kaarsbo said Denmark might be a more difficult recruitment environment for Russia than some other parts of Europe. He suggested this could explain why no operation had yet succeeded in Denmark, unlike in eastern Germany, where several such operations had reportedly originated.

According to Kaarsbo, Russia is likely trying to recruit two main types of people: ordinary citizens and individuals from criminal circles.

Online recruitment is not a new method. In late July, DR’s podcast Lyssky examined Russia’s attempts to hire teenagers online to conduct espionage and sabotage in Ukraine and European NATO countries. That episode was recorded before PET announced the concrete plans targeting Danish companies.