Romania detains Russian over alleged sabotage plot

Romanian authorities said Tuesday they had detained a Russian citizen accused of filming and photographing military sites in the NATO country to prepare for an act of sabotage on Moscow's orders.

Prosecutors said the 40-year-old Russian citizen was accused of gathering military intelligence in Romania between February and July 2026. They said he allegedly photographed NATO equipment at several military bases, including in Bucharest, as well as the movement of personnel and combat equipment.

Romania's intelligence service said it had “foiled a sabotage operation coordinated by the Russian Federation on Romanian territory”. It said the suspect had been instructed by an intermediary to take photos and videos of targets of strategic military interest, including Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft.

Prosecutors said the suspect kept in touch with a person coordinating the operation through encrypted online messaging services.

Moldovan police also said Tuesday they had detained a 49-year-old man from Azerbaijan suspected of unauthorised information gathering on behalf of Russian intelligence services. They said he was accused of collecting information on military sites in Moldova, including US facilities.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kyiv's European allies say they have frequently been targeted by hybrid attacks linked to Russia. Russia denies involvement.