Vladimir Putin's spy agency behind terrifying Birmingham parcel bomb plot, police confirm

The plot involved four packages designed to spontaneously combust, dispatched from Lithuania during the summer of 2024.

A joint investigation between UK and European authorities was launched following a series of fires triggered by the parcels across Britain, Germany and Poland.

Investigators additionally uncovered two test parcels sent to the United States and Canada, alongside two further packages discovered in Amsterdam destined for those same countries.

Over three consecutive days in July 2024, blazes erupted at multiple locations across Europe.

A container awaiting loading onto a DHL cargo aircraft in Leipzig caught fire, while a transport facility near Warsaw at Jablonow also ignited, requiring two hours to bring it under control.

Near Birmingham, at Minworth, another package described as an incendiary device caused a fire.

Western officials determined the devices were electronic machines containing a magnesium-based compound.

Such fires proved exceptionally difficult to extinguish, particularly aboard aircraft.

Authorities warned that had the parcels ignited during flight, the outcome could have been catastrophic.

Officials have now identified 22 individuals in Lithuania and Poland suspected of acting on behalf of the GRU. Court proceedings in both countries are anticipated later this year, with two cases already submitted for trial.

European law enforcement agencies revealed the suspected operatives were drawn from Russia, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Ukraine.

Many were recruited from economically precarious circumstances, making them susceptible to exploitation.

The plotters received their instructions through an online messaging platform, with different tasks allocated to various individuals within the network.

Payments for their involvement were made using cryptocurrency, allowing the operation to maintain a degree of anonymity.

A 38-year-old Romanian man was detained at London Stansted Airport following his arrival on a flight to the UK in connection with the Birmingham incident.

He has since been released while investigations continue.

A UK government spokesman stated: "Russia's ongoing hostile action puts our national security at risk, which is why this government has taken concerted action to deter their hostility.”

They said the state was “increasing defence spending, expelling intelligence officers, sanctioning the GRU, targeting their illicit finance, and ensuring many of their proxies are brought to justice".

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans, of Counter Terrorism Policing, praised the "truly remarkable" work of European partners, emphasising cross-border collaboration had proved essential in identifying GRU involvement across the continent.

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