German intelligence reportedly links Munich arson near defense firms to Russian GRU

September 25, 2026 at 07:35 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

German investigators have linked a September 3 arson attack near Munich defense companies Rohde & Schwarz and Helsing to Russia's GRU military intelligence, according to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Two Bulgarian nationals were arrested on suspicion of carrying out the attack. The incident is the second GRU-linked attack in Germany within a month, following a foiled drone bombing at Leipzig airport.

Key Facts

German security sources told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that the September 3 arson attack in Munich was linked to Russia's GRU military intelligence.
Two Bulgarian citizens, a 28-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man, were arrested at a nearby gas station after the attack.
The Munich attack targeted a construction site near the headquarters of defense companies Rohde & Schwarz and Helsing.
Germany had already blamed Russia for a foiled drone attack at Leipzig airport in early September and closed the Russian consulate in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin in response.
The GRU is also suspected of planning sabotage in Slovakia, where an arson attempt failed, according to FAZ.

Munich Arson Attack

On September 3, incendiary devices were thrown from a moving car onto a construction site near the headquarters of Rohde & Schwarz and Helsing in Munich. The resulting fire was quickly extinguished, damage was minor, and no one was injured. A second incendiary device was found at the scene and defused. Police arrested two Bulgarian citizens, a 28-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man, at a nearby gas station. The suspects are believed to be low-level agents recruited for the operation.

GRU Attribution and Pattern

German security sources told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that the Munich attack was linked to Russia's GRU military intelligence. The GRU is considered one of the most effective tools in Moscow's hybrid war against the West. The agency has been linked to sabotage in Germany, Poland, the Baltic states, and other EU countries. The GRU also planned sabotage in Slovakia, but an arson attempt there failed, according to FAZ.

Leipzig Drone Incident and Diplomatic Fallout

In Leipzig, an explosives-laden drone was allegedly intended to destroy a Ukrainian transport aircraft. In early September, Germany officially blamed Russia for the Leipzig incident and closed the Russian consulate in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin. Moscow responded by announcing the closure of Goethe-Institut branches and the German consulate in St. Petersburg. German authorities are investigating other similar incidents, including a drone sighting near a Bundeswehr base near Hanover.