Intelligence on Russian sabotage threat prompted increase in security at US military bases in Europe
Natasha Bertrand
By Natasha Bertrand, CNN
Updated 1:54 PM EDT, Tue July 9, 2024
US military bases across Europe were placed on a heightened state of alert last week for the first time in a decade after the US received intelligence that Russian-backed actors were considering carrying out sabotage attacks against US military personnel and facilities, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN.
The intelligence the US received suggested that Russia had included US bases and military personnel as options to attack via proxies, the sources said — similar to plots that have been carried out or disrupted across Europe in recent months.
In April, two German-Russian nationals were arrested for allegedly plotting bomb and arson attacks on targets including US military facilities on behalf of Russia.
The intelligence, which the US received within the last two weeks and has not been previously reported, was deemed alarming enough to implement additional safety protocols, the sources said. Several US military bases in Europe raised their alert level to Force Protection Condition “Charlie,” which “applies when an incident occurs or intelligence is received indicating some form of terrorist action or targeting against personnel or facilities is likely,” according to the US Army.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/09/politics/intelligence-russian-sabotage-threat-us-bases-europe/index.html