Russian Spies' Incendiary Bomb Plot

0:00On March 7, Russian spies plotted to ship incendiary bombs, hidden in packages of sex toys, cosmetics, and massage pillows to the United Kingdom. The devices cause an explosion at a DHL warehouse near Birmingham Airport on July 22, 2024. No one was injured, but experts warned they could have sparked mass casualties on a plane. Additional packages ignited in Poland, and investigators found intact devices there for closer study. Test runs send four similar parcels to the United States, Canada, and Amsterdam, all disguised the same way. These homemade bombs use the dangerous mix of chemicals, including magnesium, which burns fiercely and resists water. The plot relied on vulnerable people from Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Ukraine, who were recruited online. A joint probe by British and European authorities traced the operation to Russia's GRU Military Intelligence Unit. 22 suspects in Lithuania and Poland face charges later this year, directed through messaging apps and cryptocurrency payments.

1:04Meanwhile, counterterrorism police in the UK arrested a 38-year-old Romanian man linked to the Birmingham blast and the full investigation continues across Europe.