Two arrested over attempted sabotage of German naval vessels

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete February 3, 2026 at 05:30 PM

AI Summary

short article 2 min

Two men, a Romanian and a Greek national, have been arrested for allegedly attempting to sabotage German naval vessels docked at the Port of Hamburg in 2023. The suspects, who worked at the port, are accused of disabling safety switches, tampering with fuel and water lines, and depositing gravel into an engine. These actions, if undetected, could have severely damaged the ships and hindered German Navy operations. The arrests were made in Germany and Greece following a coordinated investigation involving German, Greek, and Romanian authorities, who also searched the suspects' homes. While officials haven't directly linked the incident to Russia, it occurs amid growing concerns about Kremlin-backed sabotage in Europe following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. An investigation into the full circumstances is ongoing.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Baltic Sea 30% Ukraine 40% North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 50% Russian Federation (Russia) ×360% Romania ×370% German Navy 70% Eurojust ×270% Greece ×370% Port of Hamburg ×280% Germany ×590%

Keywords

sabotage 100% naval vessels 90% port of hamburg 80% german navy 70% russia 60% eurojust 50% kremlin 50% fuel tank caps 40% water supply lines 40% crime agency 40%