Sabotage foiled in Romania
A new sabotage operation orchestrated by Russia on Romanian territory has failed
Bogdan Matei, 22.10.2025, 13:50
A NATO and EU member country neighboring Ukraine, Romania has stood in solidarity with its Russia-invaded neighbour since the very beginning of the war on February 24, 2022. As such, it has taken the risk of becoming a target of hostile acts ordered by Moscow.
The Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) reports that, jointly with national and international partners, it has foiled a new sabotage operation orchestrated by the Russian Federation on Romanian territory, which sought to attack a company in Bucharest. Together with the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism Offences (DIICOT) and the ministries of interior and defence, “as well as with foreign partner services, SRI prevented a new sabotage operation on national territory, with the involvement of two Ukrainian nationals under the direct coordination of Russian secret services, whose goal was to burn down the headquarters of Nova Post (the largest private Ukrainian courier company) in Bucharest.”
According to a news release quoted by the media, on October 14 and 15, SRI identified and monitored two Ukrainian nationals who had entered Romania from Poland and placed two packages at the Nova Post headquarters in Bucharest. The parcels contained improvised remotely-operated explosive devices concealed in headphones and car parts, as well as GPS location monitoring devices.
A fire in the building in the centre of Bucharest could have easily spread to the surrounding buildings, jeopardising the lives of a very large number of people, as well as the buildings and properties in the area.
The involvement of the SRI’s own teams and specialised resources enabled the immediate identification and disposal of the suspicious parcels, and prevented an intentional or accidental blast-off.
Judicial authorities jointly with the police and other national security institutions in Romania are currently conducting investigations into the two Ukrainian citizens, who, according to DIICOT, are 21 and 24 years old, respectively.
The intelligence gathered so far confirms their affiliation to an extensive network of saboteurs controlled by Russian secret services and which targets states in Eastern Europe, such as Romania, Poland or the Republic of Moldova, the SRI spokesperson Ovidiu Marincea explained.
In Bucharest, most of the media argue that this new attempt of the Moscow authoritarian regime to strike a country deemed as hostile is not at all surprising. Several journalists, however, also warn about how easily the Russians recruit their agents precisely from the ranks of their supposed Ukrainian enemies, whom some Western decision-makers claim they will support until a presumed victory that no one can define. (AMP)
