German authorities probe twin substation attacks as Berlin-Russia diplomatic row intensifies

German authorities on Wednesday were investigating two attacks on electricity substations in different parts of the country, marking the latest suspected sabotage targeting critical infrastructure.

Police launched a terrorism probe into the first incident, which involved improvised explosives being fired early Tuesday at a site in eastern Brandenburg state, damaging power cables.

In the second attack, unknown perpetrators allegedly caused a deliberate short-circuit by targeting overhead power lines at a substation in Bergheim in North Rhine-Westphalia state.

North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul said officials were examining whether the attack was directed by a “foreign state” or carried out by left-wing extremists.

Neither attack caused widespread power outages, although operations at nearby coal-fired power stations were affected.

Germany has faced repeated attacks on electricity infrastructure, with far-left militants claiming responsibility in some cases.

Berlin, a key supporter of Ukraine in its fight against Russia, is also on alert for Moscow-backed sabotage plots.

“More sabotage, more hybrid attacks — interference like this is not happening far away, it’s happening right on our doorstep,” Reul told a press conference.

“And anyone who acts this way is not just trying to hit cables; they’re trying to hit our country.”

The attacks came the same day that Germany formally blamed Russia for an attempted “hybrid attack” involving an explosive-laden drone at a strategic airport in Leipzig last month and announced diplomatic counter-measures.

Russia summons German envoy over ‘anti-Russian actions’

Russia on Wednesday said it was summoning Germany’s chargé d’affaires to protest what it called “anti-Russian actions,” after Berlin announced sanctions on Moscow over an attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport.

Germany announced counter-measures on Tuesday, saying it would shut Russia’s consulate in the western German city of Bonn and cancel a contract for a Russian cultural centre in Berlin.

Russia has described Germany’s allegations as unsubstantiated and “absurd.”

“On September 2, Germany’s chargé d’affaires in Moscow… was summoned to the Russian foreign ministry amid yesterday’s anti-Russian actions and statements by the German authorities,” Russia’s foreign ministry said.

Meanwhile, German authorities have identified two suspects in connection with an attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport but will unlikely be able to detain them, German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported on Wednesday.

The newspaper, which collaborated on the report with broadcasters Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) and Westdeutscher Rundfunk Köln (WDR), said that investigations into the two men — one a Russian-born Latvian national and the other a Russian national from Belarus — underpinned allegations by the German government that Russia was behind the incident.

Latest infrastructure attack

In the Bergheim incident, police were called to the substation late Tuesday. Perpetrators are suspected of causing a short-circuit in overhead power lines by placing “conductive material” on them, according to officials.

Energy company RWE said five power-generating units at two of its coal-fired plants in the region were knocked out by the disruption at the substation, although there was no widespread disruption for customers.

Three of the units were expected to go back online later Wednesday while the two others should be restarted over the weekend.

The earlier attack in Brandenburg saw improvised explosives — which resembled large fireworks — fired at a substation in Preilack, causing damage to power cables and a brief supply disruption.

The substation distributes power from the nearby Jaenschwalde plant.

Police announced Wednesday they had launched a terror probe into that incident. They are also investigating the attack on suspicion of disrupting public services and destroying essential equipment, according to a statement.

Reul said authorities were trying to determine if there was a link between the two attacks, adding: “We are in close contact with our colleagues in Brandenburg.”

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)

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