A series of mysterious fires in courier packages across Europe, including incidents in Poland, Germany, and the UK, are now believed to be “test runs” orchestrated by Russian intelligence to target flights bound for the US and Canada, according to European authorities.

Polish prosecutor Katarzyna Calow-Jaszewska recently disclosed that four people had been arrested in connection with these incidents, which involved suspicious fires breaking out in cargo intended for transatlantic shipping. On three consecutive days in July, a fire was reported in a container due to be loaded onto a DHL cargo plane in Leipzig, Germany, sparking concerns across Europe about the true intent behind these incidents. Similar fires were reported at a transport company near Warsaw, Poland, and in Minworth near Birmingham, UK, with the latter involving a package described as an incendiary device.

UK officials, while providing few details about the Minworth incident, pointed to Russian intelligence involvement. MI5 chief Ken McCallum stated last month that Russian agents had been increasingly reckless, engaging in arson, sabotage, and other harmful activities in retaliation for the UK’s support of Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict. German domestic intelligence (BfV) chief Thomas Haldenwang echoed these suspicions, describing the Leipzig fires as suspected Russian sabotage that fortunately did not ignite in mid-air.

According to European investigators, the incendiary devices found in the parcels included hidden explosives or a magnesium-based substance capable of self-ignition, which presents an extreme hazard if it catches fire aboard an aircraft. The fire near Warsaw reportedly took two hours to bring under control, underlining the difficulty of extinguishing magnesium-based fires.

The incidents, linked to Russia’s GRU foreign military intelligence agency, are believed to have been trial runs to assess whether such packages could successfully be shipped across international borders. The ultimate objective, authorities suspect, was to send similar incendiary devices to North America.

Polish government officials have responded firmly, with Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski announcing the closure of a Russian consulate in Poznan and warning of further actions if the sabotage persists. In Lithuania, Arvydas Pocius, head of the national security and defense committee, described the incidents as part of a hybrid attack campaign designed to spread “chaos, panic, and mistrust.”

In response to these threats, DHL has stepped up security across its European operations to safeguard employees, facilities, and shipments. Meanwhile, Russia denies involvement, condemning the accusations as baseless. However, authorities across Europe are on heightened alert, concerned that this series of fires may signal the beginning of a broader campaign of sabotage targeting critical infrastructure.