US Steps Up Security at Bases in Europe Due to Threat of Russian Sabotage - Media
US military bases in Europe have been put on high alert for the first time in 10 years due to intelligence that Russian-backed actors may be preparing sabotage attacks against these facilities and the US military.
This was reported by CNN.
"Last week, US military bases in Europe were put on high alert for the first time in a decade after the US received intelligence that Russian-backed actors were considering sabotage attacks against US military personnel and facilities," the report said.
The US services have received intelligence that suggests that the Russian Federation considers US military bases and personnel as possible targets for proxy attacks, "similar to incidents that have been carried out or foiled in various locations in Europe in recent months".
Examples of such cases include the arrest in April of two people with Russian and German citizenship on suspicion of having prepared explosions and arson attacks on a number of targets, including US military bases, on orders from Moscow.
The intelligence that the US has received over the past two weeks has been assessed as sufficiently alarming to trigger additional security protocols.
Several US bases in Europe have already stepped up security measures. This happens when an incident has already occurred or when there is evidence of a high probability of a terrorist attack.
A senior NATO official said on Tuesday that the alliance has "significantly increased" intelligence sharing on Russia's "covert subversive campaign" in Europe, which has become brazen and aggressive in recent months amid Western elections. "This is the 'main opportunity' for Russia to try to undermine public support for Ukraine," he added.
The US European Command declined to comment directly on the reason for last week's security change. But spokesman Dan Day said that "the heightened vigilance is not due to any single threat, but is due to a combination of factors that could potentially impact the security of U.S. forces in the European theatre."
Earlier, a senior NATO official said during the Alliance's summit in Washington that Russia had stepped up its subversive activities in European countries in an attempt to undermine their support for Ukraine.