Moscow’s diplomatic missions in Germany, the Baltic and Nordic nations are the most likely targets, according to the SVR spy agency
Ukraine’s leadership could authorize terrorist attacks against Russian diplomatic missions in Europe in a bid to derail any possible peace talks, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Agency (SVR) has warned. Kiev could target embassies in Germany or Hungary and Slovakia as part of its plan, it added, citing its European sources.
Ukraine is “extremely reluctant” to reach any agreements with Russia if this requires “excessive concessions” from Kiev, the SVR stated on Wednesday.
“One of the options … considered by the Ukrainian regime involves carrying out a series of terrorist attacks against Russian diplomatic missions in European countries,” the statement said.
According to the SVR assessment, Russian embassies in Germany, the Baltic States, and Nordic nations are the “most likely” targets, as their cooperation with Russia in counterterrorism is “at the lowest level among all EU nations.” Ties between Russian security services and their counterparts in these countries have been virtually “cut.”
Hungary and Slovakia could also be targeted, as Kiev could potentially be interested in “discrediting” EU nations that do not support Brussels’ confrontational approach towards Moscow, the agency alleged.
Budapest and Bratislava have criticized EU arms shipments to Kiev, urging Brussels to engage in diplomacy instead. The two nations have also called for anti-Russian sanctions to be lifted, arguing that they only harm the economies of EU members.
The SVR statement comes less than a week after Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador at Large Rodion Miroshnik expressed similar concerns. The diplomat, who heads the Foreign Ministry’s mission that monitors alleged Ukrainian war crimes, pointed to an increase in Ukrainian drone attacks, including on civilian targets, and said that Kiev could go even further.
The Ukrainian leadership could take steps “that violate international laws and norms, such as terrorism, sabotage, and attempts to put pressure on civilians,” Miroshnik said. The talks between Russia and the US were driving Kiev to a state of “hysteria,” he added.
The SVR issued another warning earlier in February, stating that Kiev could be plotting to drag NATO into a direct military conflict with Russia. The Ukrainian plan could allegedly include a series of false flag attacks, such as explosions involving foreign vessel in the Baltic Sea that could then be blamed on Moscow.
Russia has repeatedly said that it has no intention of attacking any NATO member countries but has criticized the military buildup on its border. It has also warned that a direct clash between Moscow and the US-led bloc could escalate into a nuclear conflict.
