Germany is investigating a possible sabotage incident involving one of the ships in the Bundeswehr Navy.
In Germany, there has likely been a case of sabotage involving the navy. An attempt to contaminate the drinking water system with oil was thwarted on the frigate Hessen.
This was reported by RBK-Ukraine referencing Tagesschau.
Upon returning to the naval base port in Wilhelmshaven on the Lower Saxony coast, the ship was reportedly targeted by saboteurs. According to investigators, an attempt was made to contaminate the frigate's drinking water system with dozens of liters of used oil.
A private company from Lower Saxony was tasked with filling the ship's drinking water system. Insiders exclude the possibility that the drinking water tanks were accidentally filled incorrectly. The damage was limited - German military personnel detected the contamination at an early stage, which allowed them to prevent significant pollution. Cleaning all systems on the ship would have taken a very long time.
The German Ministry of Defense noted that on Thursday, February 20, a "possible security incident was detected at the naval arsenal in Wilhelmshaven." The frigate Hessen is there for scheduled maintenance.
According to a spokesperson, "the circumstances of the incident are currently being investigated by responsible military and civilian investigative authorities." The investigation has been confirmed by the Wilhelmshaven police and the Federal Office for Military Counterintelligence (BAMAD).
Last week, German Navy Inspector Jan Christian Kaak stated that the German Navy is a target for saboteurs. He mentioned, "we have seen destruction, that is, sabotage, in more than one unit," which led to the implementation of appropriate measures at the shipyards.
He added that attempts at sabotage will occur not only on ships but also within the premises of naval bases.
Sabotage at Military Sites in Germany
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, German intelligence services have regularly warned of the increasing danger of espionage and sabotage within the country.
According to research by broadcasters WDR, NDR, and the Süddeutsche Zeitung, a suspicious case of sabotage occurred on the frigate Emden in mid-January: unidentified individuals threw dozens of kilograms of metal shavings into the power unit. The contamination was discovered during an inspection at the shipbuilding company Blohm+Voss shortly before the vessel was set to sail for the first time.
The ship was completely cleaned before being put into operation. According to naval experts, such pieces of metal could cause significant damage to the ship if not detected. In the case of a corvette, this could severely delay its transfer to the Bundeswehr.
Additionally, it has been reported that recently in the city of Rostock, unknown individuals cut cables on board a mine detection trawler. The prosecutor's office is investigating the incident, with the primary theory being sabotage.
In January, unknown drones were repeatedly spotted above the Schwesing airbase. Ukrainian military personnel are being trained at the base.
And in August of last year, unknown individuals attempted to contaminate the drinking water at a NATO airbase in the city of Geilenkirchen.