Another attack on the power grid in Germany: "Russia and Germany are at war"
Within 24 hours, two acts of sabotage were carried out on power grid infrastructure in Germany. In one of the attacks, homemade rockets loaded with explosives were found, but authorities are refraining from immediate accusations. The German government has criticized Russia over a drone attack attempt at an airport a month ago and announced a series of tough measures.
The confrontation between Russia and Germany is escalating against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. A senior official in Germany's defense industry stated: This is not just a confrontation, Russia and Germany are already at war. Germany is closing the Russian consulate in Bonn and advancing a series of measures against Moscow. Europe is standing with Berlin: the issue bears all the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism.
Germany is dealing with another sabotage attempt on its power infrastructure, a day after a previous event in the country. Local police announced on Wednesday that they are investigating an attack on an electrical substation near the city of Bergheim in the west of the country. According to the police, an intentional act of vandalism was carried out on the technical infrastructure on Tuesday. However, electricity in the area was not affected.
The power grid operator Amprion stated that it was likely external interference and that grid stability was maintained throughout the event. At the same time, the energy company RWE stated that it was forced to remove units of lignite-fired power plants from the grid, with a combined capacity of 4,200 megawatts. The company said that the units at the Neurath and Niederaußem stations are expected to reconnect to the grid in the coming days.
The event in western Germany occurred on the same day that authorities were dealing with another sabotage event in the east of the country. On Tuesday, it was reported that devices carrying conductive material caused damage to power lines in the state of Brandenburg. According to reports, homemade rockets loaded with explosives were found at the site, some of which had been launched and others were ready for launch.
Sources familiar with the investigation warn against prematurely attributing the attack to a foreign country. At this stage, two possibilities are being examined: politically motivated sabotage groups or low-level activists operated by a foreign power. Either way, the proximity of the events is creating considerable panic.
German defense entrepreneur Stephan Thoman argued that the sabotage actions carried out by Moscow against Germany constitute an act of war controlled and coordinated by the Russian military. "Germany and Russia are at war," he said in an interview with Bild.
Thoman, whose company supplies combat drones to Ukraine, said he currently lives under 24/7 protection after authorities uncovered an alleged Russian intelligence plot in 2025 to harm him via poisoning. He added that the threat changed his life significantly: he lives in undisclosed locations, has not seen his family for months, and has prepared a will and medical directives.
The attack at the airport in Leipzig
Parallel to the sabotage events on the power grid, Germany announced yesterday that it is officially accusing Russia of an attempted drone attack at the Leipzig-Halle airport about a month ago. The event occurred on August 4, when three drones carrying explosives were identified in the airport area. One of them was found near a Ukrainian Antonov plane used for transporting ammunition.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said that the planning and execution of the attack used technology known from other Russian hybrid operations. Following the attribution of responsibility to Russia, Berlin announced a series of response measures: the Russian consulate in Bonn will be closed on September 18, checks at the entrance to Germany for Russian citizens will be tightened, and the agreement concerning the Russian House in the center of Berlin will be canceled.
Europe stands with Berlin. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that the alliance stands in full solidarity with Germany. The European Union's Foreign Policy Chief, Kaja Kallas, said that the drone attack attempt bears all the hallmarks of state-sponsored terrorism. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that France will support Germany's sanction proposals.
