A network recruiting locals to carry out sabotage and destabilization operations in European countries on behalf of the Russian Federation has been uncovered in Eastern Europe.
According to Ukrinform, the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine reported this on Telegram.
“A network recruiting local residents for sabotage and destabilization operations in European countries in the interests of the Russian Federation has been exposed in Eastern Europe. The identified recruiters offer residents of Moldova, Bulgaria, Serbia, and other Eastern European countries ‘easy money’—$300–500 and a paid two-week trip with active recreation,” the statement reads.
As noted, in reality, these individuals end up in training camps where they are taught to operate drones, use incendiary devices, and resist police during protests. The instructors are individuals linked to the former Private Military Company Wagner. After “training,” the recruits travel to European countries to carry out “hybrid attacks.”
The involvement of former Wagner soldiers in such training indicates Russia’s intention to use their combat experience to export violence abroad. This approach allows Moscow to minimize the risk of exposure and expand opportunities for sabotage.
As reported by Ukrinform, according to Western intelligence sources, recruiters and propagandists who previously worked for the Russian PMC Wagner have become the Kremlin’s primary tool for organizing sabotage operations across Europe.
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