Official announcements from government aviation authorities or relevant ministries

Russia Plotted to Start Fires on U.S.-Bound Planes Using Devices Shipped via DHL

Nov 4, 2024, 06:50 PM

Western security officials believe that Russia plotted to send incendiary devices on U.S.-bound planes as part of a covert operation to start fires aboard cargo or passenger aircraft flying to the United States and Canada. In July, two devices disguised as electronic massage machines packed with magnesium ignited at DHL distribution centers in Leipzig, Germany, and Birmingham, England. The incidents led to the arrests of four individuals in Poland. Officials suspect that Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU, orchestrated the plot as a possible test run for future attacks on North America-bound flights.