Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
A set of alarming allegations has emerged from Western intelligence circles, describing what officials say could have been one of the most devastating attacks on international aviation in decades.
Friday, the U.S. released an updated National Security Strategy (NSS). That in itself is not breaking news, but when you take a closer look at the 33-page NSS, some interesting details are starting to emerge.
According to the updated document, the U.S. is aiming to “reestablish strategic stability with Russia”, but it takes two to Tango – so the big question is, if the Kremlin is on the same page.
Russian officials publicly welcomed the updated document, but according to Financial Times (FT), several Western agencies say recent intelligence paints a grim picture of the Kremlin having a hidden agenda.
U.S.-bound flights next target
The Financial Times reported that intelligence services assess, Russian-backed operatives had prepared attacks that could have matched the shock and disruption of the September 11 attacks.
The concerns intensified after a string of explosions at DHL logistics hubs in the UK, Poland and Germany in 2024.
Investigators later concluded the blasts were triggered by parcel bombs strong enough to destroy cargo aircraft had they detonated mid-flight.
Authorities uncovered an additional cache of roughly six kilograms of explosives linked to the same network, according to the FT.
Security officials told the paper they believe the group’s next step was to target US-bound planes, a phase they say was halted before it could be launched.
Warnings from Warsaw
Earlier, former Polish Foreign Intelligence Agency head Piotr Krawczyk cautioned in an interview with the Express that the scope for Russian-sponsored sabotage is “immense.”
“They can pick plenty of different targets. It can be one of the planes or trains carrying hundreds of passengers. It can be one of our refineries, one of the power stations,” he told Express.
Krawczyk added that Moscow could also back extremist groups abroad: “The Russians can support one of the terrorist organisations that can go after US citizens.”
Expanding threat map
Western services have attributed several other interrupted plots to Russian-linked actors, including attempts to derail crowded trains, ignite shopping centres and contaminate water supplies.
Officials say the range and scale of these operations could have caused mass casualties and constituted a significant escalation of hostile activity.
One European intelligence chief told the FT that his service had recently detected heightened Russian monitoring of rail lines and key bridges across the continent.
Sources: Financial Times, Express, White House
