Russian operatives reportedly shipped two incendiary devices in attempts to start fires aboard cargo or passenger aircraft heading to the U.S. and Canada, according to Western security officials.
DHL was used to ship the devices — electric massagers containing a magnesium-based flammable substance — as part of a covert Russian intended to intensify a sabotage campaign against the U.S. and its allies, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
The newspaper added the devices, believed to have been a test run to figure out how to get such incendiary devices aboard planes bound for North America, ignited in July at DHL logistics hubs, one in Leipzig, Germany, and another in Birmingham, England.
According to security officials, the electric massagers were sent to the United Kingdom from Lithuania.
Four people have been arrested in connection with the fires and charged with participating in sabotage or terrorist operations on behalf of a foreign intelligence agency, Poland's National Prosecutor's Office said.
Two other suspects are being sought.
"The group's goal was also to test the transfer channel for such parcels, which were ultimately to be sent to the United States of America and Canada," the prosecutor's office said.
Poland's foreign-intelligence agency chief, Pawel Szota, said Russian spies were to blame for the devices.
"I'm not sure the political leaders of Russia are aware of the consequences if one of these packages exploded, causing a mass casualty event," Szota said.
Last month, it was reported that Russians were trying to recruit European nationals to conduct sabotage within their countries.
Russian-paid operatives thought to be behind a range of crimes, which have included break-ins and arson at factories and critical national infrastructure, physical attacks and even a reported assassination plot against the CEO of Germany's largest arms company.
Late last month, it was reported Finland was experiencing suspicious acts of sabotage and disruption and believes Russia is engaged in broad-ranging influence operations against it and other European countries.
NATO and Western intelligence services, including Finland's, have warned that Russia is behind a growing number of hostile activities across the Euro-Atlantic area, ranging from repeated cyberattacks to Moscow-linked arson — all of which Russia denies.
In an email to Newsmax, a TSA representative said: “We continually adjust our security posture as appropriate and promptly share any and all relevant information with our industry partners, to include requirements and recommendations that help them reduce risk.
“Over the past several months, as part of a multi-layered security approach, TSA worked with industry partners to put additional security measures for U.S. aircraft operators and foreign air carriers regarding certain cargo shipments bound for the United States, in line with the 2021 TSA Air Cargo Security Roadmap.
"We greatly appreciate the cooperation and collaboration with industry as together we work to ensure the safety and security of air cargo.”
"Additionally, and as we stated in the 2025 Homeland Threat Assessment, we continue to be vigilant against threats to the aviation and air cargo systems. We work closely with industry to take steps to protect against any potential threats whenever they emerge. At this time, there is no current active threat targeting U.S.-bound flights."
Reuters contributed this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.