Germany probes possible political motive after train cables cut amid Russian-sabotage concerns

German authorities opened a probe into a possible political motive after train cables were cut in western Germany, as the country remains on high alert for sabotage linked to Russia.

Cologne police said the cables between Cologne and Dusseldorf were cut, with officers discovering at about 01:15 a.m. in a cable shaft in the Rheindorf area of Leverkusen. The incident caused widespread disruption to rail services in the region, and police said a political motive cannot be excluded at this time. Investigators, including officers who specialize in politically motivated crime, have begun examining the case and preliminary leads have been identified.

The episode comes as Germany confronts broader questions about hybrid warfare and potential Russian interference. The National Cyber Security Centre, the public-facing arm of Britain’s GCHQ, launched an investigation into the disruptions as experts linked the incident to Russia. The situation followed earlier episodes in which Russian activity was cited as a contributing factor, including a recent incursion by Russian jets into NATO airspace over Estonia for about 12 minutes.

Observers have pointed to Russian-linked operations behind several high-profile disruptions this month. In addition to the rail-related turmoil, European authorities highlighted a GPS disruption that affected a flight carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Bulgaria; officials described the event as deliberate interference and noted Russia as a suspect. European Commission spokeswoman Arianna Podesta acknowledged the GPS jamming and said Bulgarian authorities suspected Russian involvement. The episode underscored the broader vulnerability of civilian navigation systems to interference.

Earlier this month, tens of thousands of people were left without power in Berlin after a fire damaged electrical cables, with police later saying they were investigating a possible political motive and noting an online claim by an unnamed anarchist group. Last month, three fires struck parts of the German rail network, with a far-left group calling itself the Angry Birds Kommando claiming responsibility for at least one of them. Germany has been a key ally of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 and has accused Moscow of increasing hybrid warfare efforts.

A domestic intelligence assessment released recently found that the costs of cyberattacks and sabotage against German businesses, largely tied to Russia and China, topped 289 billion euros ($342 billion) over the past 12 months. Authorities have also warned of Russian efforts to recruit “disposable agents” via social media to carry out espionage and sabotage.

Officials stressed that the Cologne–Dusseldorf cable cut remains under active investigation and that it is too soon to draw definitive conclusions about motive or perpetrator. The rail line is a critical western corridor, and officials are coordinating with transport operators to restore service while safeguarding infrastructure against potential follow-up acts.