On October 25, 2024, Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office arrested four suspects believed to have endangered DHL cargo flights and their crews by sending bomb-laden packages. Two additional individuals are currently wanted internationally, according to a spokesperson from the Prosecutor’s Office speaking to a local news agency. The Polish government has openly accused Russian intelligence of orchestrating these attacks, prompting the closure of the Russian consulate in Poznan.
Investigators allege that the group sent parcels containing concealed explosives and other hazardous materials to fake recipients across several European Union countries, including transit points through British airports with destinations in Canada and the United States. Multiple courier services were reportedly used in the shipment chain to obscure the origin of these packages, which were rigged to ignite or explode autonomously during air or ground transport.
Polish authorities have not disclosed whether any package from the suspects has exploded or ignited in transit via DHL Express, nor have they specified whether the suspects are Polish nationals or foreign residents. Additionally, the suspects allegedly tested shipment routes for explosive-filled parcels between Europe and North America to study transit points and travel times.
The arrest of the four suspects marks the second recent blow by authorities against alleged saboteurs targeting DHL Express. On September 19, 2024, a Lithuanian national was arrested by local security forces, identified as responsible for sending bomb parcels. He reportedly attempted to mask his identity using false postal addresses, fictitious names, and incorrect recipient information. Simultaneously, an accomplice was apprehended in Poland. Previously, an explosive package from the suspects, transported by DHL Express through its hub at Leipzig Airport, detonated on the tarmac while being transferred to another aircraft, fortunately causing no severe damage or injuries to ground personnel.
Around the same time, a DHL Express package exploded in Minworth, near Birmingham, UK. MI5 chief Ken McCallum stated that Russian military intelligence (GRU) appears to be “on a sustained mission to generate chaos on British and European streets: we have witnessed arson, sabotage, and more.” In response to these allegations, Moscow has repeatedly denied any sabotage activities, countering that its critics are spreading conspiracy theories.
Warsaw, also attributing these actions to Russia, took further action on October 22. Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski ordered the closure of the Russian Consulate General in Poznan, citing suspected sabotage attempts. Sikorski explained that the Polish city serves as a crucial hub for military supplies headed to Ukraine, making it a target for Russian espionage and sabotage efforts. The consulate’s closure follows a legal case involving a 51-year-old Ukrainian citizen, allegedly recruited by Russian intelligence and charged with plotting to set fire to a paint factory in Wroclaw.
The Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported on Kremlin Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova’s response, who called the consulate closure “another hostile step,” promising the Polish government a “painful response.”
