U.S. intelligence officials warned American defense companies Thursday of a sabotage risk posed by Russia.
Defense Companies Told to Ramp Up Security
The National Counterintelligence and Security Center—an agency within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence that focuses on protecting national assets from intelligence threats—advised U.S. companies, particularly those providing support to Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia and other geopolitical conflicts, to "enhance their vigilance and security efforts" following several acts of sabotage in Europe that officials have blamed on Moscow.
"Russia's sabotage activities in Europe increase the risk to U.S. companies abroad and potentially at home," a public bulletin issued by the agency, the FBI and several Department of Defense agencies on Thursday read. "Such sabotage operations can sow fear and doubt, damage important infrastructure, disrupt commerce, or cause injury and death."
Newsweek reached out to the Russian government via email for comment.
U.S. intelligence officials advised U.S. companies to hold routine exercises with local partners to practice their incident response protocols. They also said to provide regular training on security awareness to employees, emphasizing the importance of reporting suspicious activities.
Companies were also warned to have employees be mindful of what they post on social media.
"Those involved in work tied to Ukraine or other geopolitical conflicts should be cautious about disclosing work, travel, personal, and family information online," Thursday's bulletin read. "Adversaries can use this information to identify access, location, and personal vulnerabilities."
Russia Targets Foreign Defense Companies
The agency said that Russia and its proxies have planned and directed sabotage attacks over the past year, targeting European military installations, foreign defense companies, logistics facilities and public utilities.
These attacks are launched "in an effort to undermine Allied support to Ukraine," according to the bulletin.
The agency also said that Russia is recruiting criminals and other proxies to carry out these attacks.
U.S. intelligence officials mentioned how authorities in the United Kingdom charged several Britons in April for an arson attack on a Ukraine-linked business in London on behalf of Russian intelligence.
They also mentioned a June announcement from Polish authorities in which they said they had arrested nearly two dozen individuals over the prior six months on charges including plotting arson and other acts of sabotage across the country on behalf of Russia and Belarus.
Incendiary Devices Plot
The Associated Press (AP) reported earlier this month that Western security officials suspected Russian intelligence was behind a plot to put incendiary devices in packages on cargo planes headed to North America.
The plot included one incendiary device that caught fire at a courier hub in Germany and another that caught fire in a warehouse in England.
There was no active threat targeting flights heading to the United States, a U.S. official told the AP at the time.
Moscow denied involvement in the plot.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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