Russian Sabotage Group Uncovered in Germany After Vandalising 270 Cars to Discredit the Green Party

German law enforcement officials have exposed a large-scale Russian sabotage group for coordinating a sabotage campaign aimed at accusing environmentalists and the Green Party of vandalising more than 270 vehicles in Berlin and the surrounding state of Brandenburg, as well as in the southern states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The vandals blocked the exhaust pipes of the cars with expanding foam. The perpetrators left stickers on the damaged cars with the image of Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, the Green Party's candidate for chancellor in the upcoming federal elections, and the message: ‘Be greener!’ 

‘For months, espionage and sabotage have been used in a deliberate attempt to stir up uncertainty, reignite existing conflicts and divide us as a society,’ Green politician Konstantin von Notz told DW.

The criminal campaign has been exposed as a Russian sabotage aimed at discrediting the Green Party, according to German authorities. The German police are currently investigating allegations that Russia was responsible for coordinating the sabotage group. 

In December, during a routine patrol in Schönefeld, near Berlin, police found cartridges of construction foam and foam guns in a van driven by three men. Shortly afterwards, 43 car owners filed complaints about damaged exhaust pipes. The prosecutor's office in the southern city of Ulm is also looking for four suspects.

Speaking to German TV channel ARD in the evening, Habeck said he was not surprised but insisted that he and his party were well-prepared for such incidents. 

‘I am sure we will face more attacks like this in the next two and a half weeks,’ he said. 

Police have officially announced that four men - a German, a Serb, a Romanian and a Bosnian aged 17, 18, 20 and 29 - are suspected of 123 episodes of vandalism. During searches of their homes, cans of construction foam were found. One of the men claimed that he and his accomplices had been contacted by a Russian and instructed to carry out the attacks via the Viber chat messenger. The criminals received detailed instructions and were promised €100 for each damaged car.

Sources in security circles suspect a targeted campaign aimed at discrediting Habeck and the Green Party ahead of the federal elections on 23 February.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock, also from the Green Party, warned against ‘hybrid threats’.

The German Interior Ministry refused to comment on the possibility that Russia was behind the sabotage and said the investigation was still ongoing.

In turn, Germany's domestic intelligence service (BfV) has warned of a growing trend in recent months of Russian actors recruiting petty criminals to carry out acts of espionage and sabotage in exchange for money. The reason for this approach is that sanctions, travel restrictions and increased vigilance by Western intelligence services have made it difficult for professional Russian spies to operate in Europe, so they are looking for hired accomplices for their criminal activities.