Germany investigates 'deliberate act' of disruption at electricity substation near Cologne
NATO member Germany, which supports Ukraine in its fight against Russia, has long accused Moscow of targeting it with a campaign of hybrid attacks involving espionage and sabotage, claims the Kremlin has rejected.
Published on 02/09/2026 - 10:20 GMT+2
German police said on Wednesday that they suspected a "deliberate act" damaged an electricity substation, the latest in a string of incidents involving critical infrastructure.
Police were called on Tuesday evening when a short-circuit knocked out some lines at a substation in Bergheim in the west of the country, though no power cuts were reported.
"We are not assuming a technical failure but a deliberate act," a local police spokesperson said, describing the incident as a "disruption."
The probe comes a day after several improvised explosive devices were found at a substation near a coal-fired power plant on Tuesday and several power lines were damaged, police and a grid operator said.
Operator 50Hertz said there was a "brief interruption of service" but all lines are now back in operation at the Preilack substation, which distributes power from the nearby Jänschwalde power plant.
Also on Tuesday, Berlin publicly blamed Russia for an attempted drone "attack" at Leipzig airport last month.
In a press conference on Tuesday, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said an assessment of the incident "fits the known pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe."
NATO member Germany, which supports Ukraine in its fight against Russia, has long accused Moscow of targeting it with a campaign of hybrid attacks involving espionage and sabotage, claims the Kremlin has rejected.
Germany has for months reported suspicious drone sightings over military and industrial sites, but an incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport on the night of 4-5 August raised the alarm as a drone found there carried explosives.
