June 9, 2024: Russian setbacks in Ukraine and anger at European NATO countries for supporting Ukraine have led Russia to strike back at European countries with a sabotage campaign. The Russians have paid criminal networks in Europe to carry out these attacks. European police and security agencies were alert to these Russian plans and arrested local criminals hired by Russian agents to carry out sabotage attacks and have made arrests. With these Russian efforts no longer secret, Russian recruiting efforts have failed because of fears that anyone who worked for Russia would be quickly identified and arrested. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, public opinion in Europe has been hostile to Russia.

There have been a few railway accidents that are now being reexamined to see if they were acts of sabotage. Russian jamming of GPS signals continues to be a problem in several European countries. Russia denies any involvement but the evidence of Russian complicity grows with each incident. In this respect Russia is at war with European nations and these attacks may eventually lead to more sanctions against Russia. The economic sanctions already imposed on Russia by Western trading partners are seen by Russians as an attack on their economy. That was the intention of the sanctions but the Russians don’t consider themselves deserving of such attacks.

The Russians are particularly angry over oil export sanctions. Russia is still able to smuggle its oil out to foreign customers but has to sell the oil at a discount. This is because buyers fear getting hit by sanctions themselves if they are caught purchasing smuggled Russian oil.

This shadow war, where no one admits they are attacking anyone, is likely to continue as long as Russia is considered an outlaw nation because of its continued aggression inside Ukraine. Economic attacks on Russia have hurt and Russian leader Vladimir Putin has openly discussed a negotiated settlement to end the Ukraine War and get Russia out from under all those sanctions.