Workers arrested on suspicion of sabotaging German warships, Bild says
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A German frigate taking part in a NATO naval exercise in 2023.
PHOTO: BUNDESWEHR
- Two men, a Romanian and a Greek, were arrested for allegedly sabotaging German warships in Hamburg in 2025.
- The suspects tampered with engines, fresh-water lines, fuel tanks, and electronics, potentially causing "significant damage."
- The arrests occurred in Hamburg and Greece, with authorities searching residences, although no link to Russia has been confirmed.
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BERLIN - Two workers have been arrested on suspicion of sabotaging several German warships at Hamburg harbour in 2025, German tabloid Bild reported on Feb 3.
The accused, a 37-year-old Romanian and a 54-year-old Greek, reportedly tampered with the vessels by pouring steel pellets into an engine block, puncturing fresh-water lines, removing fuel tank caps, and disabling fuses in the onboard electronics, the report said.
The sabotage was discovered during pre-departure checks as one of the ships, the corvette “Emden”, was preparing for its inaugural journey to the port city of Kiel.
According to Bild, the prosecutor-general’s office stated the alleged activities could have led to significant damage if left undetected.
The two men were arrested in Hamburg and a village in Greece, with their residences in Hamburg, Romania, and Greece searched by authorities, the report added.
Neither the police nor Germany’s defence ministry immediately responded to requests for comment.
The report did not link the sabotage to Russia, which political leaders and military officials have accused of engaging in acts of sabotage, espionage, and hybrid warfare since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied such allegations, dismissing them as unsubstantiated. REUTERS
