Three lorries, which, according to the German police, belonged to the Bundeswehr, were burnt out on the premises of the MAN plant in Barleben, near Magdeburg. The fire broke out in the early hours of 24 September. The cause of the fire has not yet been established, but the Saxony-Anhalt State Criminal Police Office and the Bundeswehr military police have joined the investigation. Against the backdrop of a series of hybrid incidents in Germany, law enforcement agencies are examining the circumstances with particular care, but there is currently no public evidence of Russia’s involvement in this specific fire.
Briefly about the main points
- Three Bundeswehr lorries were burnt out near Magdeburg.
- The vehicles were on the MAN site.
- There were no casualties.
- The cause of the fire is being investigated by the LKA and the military police.
Three military lorries caught fire during the night
The fire broke out on the company’s premises MAN in Barleben — a municipality near Magdeburg in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt.
According to MDR and Tagesschau, around 3.49 am on 24 September Three lorries caught fire on the company’s premises. The police later confirmed that the vehicles belonged to the Bundeswehr. Due to the heavy smoke, local residents were alerted via mobile warning systems. Firefighters managed to put out the blaze, and no one was injured. Air quality tests did not reveal any dangerous levels of pollution.
The LKA and the military police have been brought in to assist with the case
The investigation is being carried out by Land Administration Department of the Saxony-Anhalt State Criminal Police Office (LKA). The Bundeswehr’s military police — the Feldjäger — were also called in to assist.
As of 26 September, the German police had not published any findings regarding the cause of the fire. It is not known whether the fire was caused by a technical fault, arson or some other reason. It is therefore premature to describe the incident as a confirmed act of Russian sabotage at this stage.
The incident occurred against a backdrop of a growing threat of sabotage in Germany
The context of the incident has attracted particular attention from the German security services. In recent months, the German Government has repeatedly stated that the rise in the threat of sabotage, espionage, cyber-attacks and other forms of hybrid influence.
In September, Germany’s National Security Council stated that the country remains a target of Russian hybrid attacks, and agreed on additional measures to combat espionage and sabotage and to protect critical infrastructure.
The German Government has also explicitly held Russia responsible for attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport on 4 August. According to Berlin, the conclusions were based on material from the police investigation and intelligence reports. Moscow denies any involvement.
In Berlin, there is talk of the use of «low-level agents»
During a government press conference in early September, a German government representative stated that, amongst the forms of hybrid influence, sabotage operations involving so-called low-level agents — people who may be recruited to carry out specific tasks without any direct link to official state bodies.
The German authorities also state that the aim of such operations may be not only to cause physical damage to infrastructure, but also creating a sense of danger, destabilising society and undermining trust in state institutions. However, these general assessments do not automatically mean that the lorry fire in Barleben is linked to Russia. The findings of the current investigation are needed to reach such a conclusion.
Germany is stepping up the protection of its military and critical infrastructure
Following a series of incidents, the federal government has begun to step up measures against sabotage, drone attacks and cyberattacks. The National Security Council has instructed that security at critical infrastructure be strengthened, counter-espionage efforts be expanded and mechanisms for responding to covert operations by foreign states be improved.
The fire near Magdeburg has now become yet another incident that German law enforcement agencies must investigate for any possible link to this wider threat.
