The German navy is facing a string of suspected sabotage incidents, with ten reported since early 2025. The latest: a two-centimeter slit found in the fuel line of the frigate "Rheinland-Pfalz" in Wilhelmshaven. Bundeswehr officials say the damage appears deliberate.
In another case, aboard the warship "Emden" at Hamburg's Blohm+Voss shipyard, investigators found several kilograms of grit sand in the engine room-a material used for cleaning ship surfaces that could have caused severe damage. Two suspects, a Romanian and a Greek, were arrested.
Other incidents include cut cable looms and oil deliberately poured into drinking water systems. Authorities dropped several investigations due to insufficient evidence.
Western security circles point to Russia as the likely orchestrator. Germany, a key Ukraine supporter, is seen as a primary target. German intelligence warns of so-called "disposable agents"-petty criminals recruited via social media and paid in cryptocurrency for sabotage acts. Fees range from hundreds to tens of thousands of euros.