Russian Saboteurs Implicated in Car Vandalism in Germany

Russian saboteurs have reportedly filled the exhausts of nearly three hundred cars with construction foam in various German cities. Stickers from the German political party, the Greens, were left on each vehicle to suggest that climate activists were responsible for the acts.

This information was revealed by the German magazine Der Spiegel. The intention was to tarnish the Greens’ reputation and create unrest in Germany ahead of the upcoming elections at the end of this month.

It remains unclear how the publication identified the Russian saboteurs. Late last year, the German magazine Bild reported that climate activists had filled car exhausts with expanding foam, rendering them unusable.

The foam quickly expands and hardens, completely blocking the exhaust, with repair costs ranging from several hundred to nearly ten thousand euros. A portrait of German Minister of Economic Affairs, Robert Habeck (from the Greens), was affixed to each damaged car, along with the slogan ‘Be Greener.’ Bild noted this was a message urging the minister to enhance climate protection.

At the time, police spokesperson Thomas Hagel stated there were no leads on the foam gang. The seemingly simple act caused significant unrest in many German neighborhoods.

The expanding foam, typically used for insulation, is available for a few euros at hardware stores. This incident marks another instance of Russian interference in foreign elections.

Last year, De Volkskrant revealed that Russian trolls actively promoted far-right French and German parties during the European elections. Russia is also alleged to have influenced the Romanian presidential elections and attempted to interfere in the 2019 US presidential elections.

Source: NOS

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