Russia recruiting Ukrainians for illegal activities in Europe, Ukrainian intel warns
Russian intelligence services are actively attempting to recruit Ukrainian nationals for illegal operations across the European Union, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said on June 2.
In a statement, the agency warned that Kremlin-linked operatives are offering money to vulnerable Ukrainians, particularly those from Russian-occupied territories, to conduct surveillance of critical infrastructure and carry out other tasks for the benefit of the Russian state.
"The recruitment of Ukrainians for hostile operations in Europe is yet another tool of hybrid aggression that the Russian Federation is waging against Ukraine and the entire European community," the agency said.
The intelligence agency urged Ukrainian citizens abroad to immediately report any contact with suspicious individuals to local law enforcement or Ukrainian diplomatic missions.
The warning comes amid a growing number of suspected Russian-directed sabotage and arson plots across Europe involving Ukrainian nationals.
British security officials are currently investigating possible Russian involvement in a series of arson attacks targeting properties linked to U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Financial Times reported on May 23. The incidents include fires at Starmer's family home, a vehicle, and a former residence in London earlier this month.
Three men — Ukrainian nationals Roman Lavrynovych and Petro Pochynok, and Romanian Stanislav Carpiuc — have been charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life. Prosecutors allege they acted in coordination with unknown individuals, and U.K. authorities are examining whether Russian agents may have recruited them.
German authorities have also accused three Ukrainian nationals of being involved in a Russian-orchestrated parcel bomb plot, according to Der Spiegel. The suspects were arrested in May during coordinated raids in Germany and Switzerland.
In a separate case on May 12, Poland charged two Ukrainians in connection with suspected Russian-backed arson attacks at an IKEA store in Vilnius and a shopping mall in Warsaw in 2024.
Additionally, Russian intelligence is believed to be behind a July 2024 fire at a DHL airport logistics hub in Leipzig, Germany. Investigators said a flammable package sent from Lithuania was marked for delivery to a fake address in Birmingham, U.K.
Western officials have repeatedly accused Moscow of using covert sabotage, cyberattacks, and disinformation as part of its broader campaign to destabilize European nations that support Ukraine during the Russian large-scale war.
The Ukrainian intelligence agency emphasized that such operations rely on exploiting desperate individuals and weaponizing them against host countries. It called on European governments to remain vigilant and closely coordinate with Ukrainian security services.
Read also: As Trump fails to sanction Moscow, few expect breakthrough during upcoming Russia-Ukraine talks
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