Russia-Ukraine War Latest News: Amid growing concerns over sabotage linked to the Russia-Ukraine war, a Latvian man is suspected of trying to burn down a drone factory in Slovakia. Investigators revealed that he was recruited through Telegram. The case has sparked fresh questions over possible foreign interference, as authorities investigate an alleged plot to target a facility run by Ukrainian-founded drone maker Skyeton.
Russia-Ukraine War Latest News: Latvian man suspected of attempted arson in Slovakia reportedly told investigators he was hired via Telegram
A Latvian man suspected of attempting to set fire to a drone factory in Slovakia reportedly told investigators that he was recruited through Telegram and received instructions from several individuals, including a person who spoke Russian.
The facility is operated by Skyeton, a company founded in Ukraine that manufactures drones for both civilian and military applications in Ukraine and other countries. The company has indicated that Russia may have been behind last month’s suspected arson attempt.
Russia’s embassy in Slovakia has rejected any suggestion of Russian involvement in the incident.
A little-known group calling itself “Global Citizens Against War 1984” has claimed responsibility for the attempted attack. The group also called for the release of two people initially detained in Slovakia, describing them as its activists. Slovakia’s Interior Ministry has not commented on the claim.
Slovak news outlet Dennik N, citing documents released by a Slovak court, reported that the Latvian suspect told investigators he had been contacted through Telegram by unidentified individuals and was instructed to carry out an arson attack. He allegedly received the location only shortly before the planned operation.
The report said court documents related to the detention of the Latvian man and another suspect indicated that he was provided with coordinates of the Skyeton facility near the eastern Slovak city of Presov one day before the planned attack.
The details could not immediately be independently verified, and the suspect’s statements have not been publicly confirmed.
A spokesperson for the Presov court also did not confirm the contents of the custody decisions. Dennik N said the documents had been obtained through a freedom-of-information request.
Police reportedly detained the Latvian suspect close to the Slovak factory and also arrested a Ukrainian man who was allegedly supposed to take him to Poland after the attempted attack.
Another Latvian national was arrested in Germany, while a further Ukrainian suspect was later detained in Slovakia in connection with the alleged plot, prosecutors have said. The case comes as concerns grow across Europe over possible sabotage targeting industrial facilities and other sites linked to the war in Ukraine.
European governments have increasingly raised concerns about possible Russian involvement, while Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations of conducting sabotage operations.
Russia-Ukraine War Latest News: Europe warned to be prepared for ‘various scenarios’
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that recent incidents along Ukraine’s borders with Poland and Moldova could signal a wider campaign of Russian provocations at border crossings in Europe.
Two people were killed after Russian drones struck the Starokozache border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova on Tuesday night, while a separate incident involving a Polish-Ukrainian crossing the following night was described as a “direct threat” that was avoided through cooperation between Warsaw and Kyiv.
Tusk did not provide further details about the incident or publicly present evidence linking Russia to the alleged threat.
The Polish prime minister also said he had received a briefing from CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who had recently travelled to Moscow, concerning potential risks posed by Russia in the region in the months ahead.
Speaking in Bratislava during a meeting involving Central European countries and Ireland, Tusk said Russia had already begun carrying out what he described as provocative actions targeting border crossings, including those in Moldova.
He warned that similar incidents could occur at other crossings between Ukraine and neighbouring European countries, including Poland.
Tusk said information received from Ratcliffe suggested that Poland and other European countries should prepare for “various scenarios” involving the war and the security situation along the European Union’s eastern flank.
Ukraine shares borders with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova, as well as Russia and Belarus.
Russia-Ukraine War Latest News: Two killed in Kyiv petrol station attacks
Russian strikes hit two petrol stations in Kyiv within a span of around 10 minutes, targeting areas in the Dniprovskyi and Obolonskyi districts.
Ukrainian officials said the attacks killed two people, while details of the strikes continued to emerge.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks, saying the use of jet-powered drones marked an escalation in strikes that were becoming “increasingly terrorist in nature.”
Officials also said one of the petrol stations was hit in a suspected double-tap attack, in which a second strike is carried out at the same location shortly after an initial attack.
Russia-Ukraine War Latest News: Ukraine says it hit Russian oil refinery in overnight attack
Ukraine’s military said it struck a Russian oil refinery during an overnight drone attack, after Russian officials in Saratov said civilian infrastructure in the region had been hit.
The Ukrainian military said the attack caused fires at the refinery, while the full extent of the damage was still being assessed.
Ukraine has stepped up its long-range drone campaign against Russia’s energy infrastructure, targeting oil refineries, pipelines and offshore production facilities across parts of European Russia and Siberia.
The attacks form part of Kyiv’s broader effort to disrupt Russia’s energy sector and put additional pressure on infrastructure supporting the country’s war effort.
Russia-Ukraine War Latest News: Two killed in Ukrainian drone attack on Russian region, authorities say
At least two people were killed and three others injured after Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s Tula region overnight, local authorities said.
Ukrainian officials have described such attacks as part of a broader strategy aimed at bringing the consequences of the war closer to Russia’s population and increasing the pressure on Moscow to end the conflict.
Tula Region Governor Dmitry Milyayev said two people died and three others were injured during the overnight drone attacks.
