Security services in Germany have announced that Russia was likely behind recent cases of mass car vandalism in four German federal states, which media outlets initially pinned on climate activists.

Climate activists wrongly accused of mass car vandalism in Germany

Security services in Germany are warning of further international interference in domestic politics after announcing that Russia was likely behind a recent case of mass car vandalism across four German states.

In December 2024, 270 cars across Berlin, Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg and Bavaria were vandalised. Vandals used construction foam to block exhaust pipes and left stickers reading “Sei Grüner!” (Be greener!), with a picture of outgoing vice chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens).

The day before car owners began reporting vandalism, police in Brandenburg stopped a van they deemed suspicious. Three young men aged 17, 18 and 20, supposed trade workers, were inside and were ID’d as Serbian and Bosnian nationals; the police also found construction foam in the van but thought nothing more of it.

As vandalism reports were made to the police, media outlets suggested climate activists were behind the action. In the past, German climate groups have been behind protest actions targeting wealthy neighbourhoods, such as using lentils to deflate SUV tyres. However, in this case, the cars targeted were not SUVs and were parked in neighbourhoods which weren't particularly wealthy.

Security services now suspect that Russian saboteurs are responsible for the damage. The three “trade workers” later had their houses, laptops and mobile phones searched, for police to find evidence suggesting they were recruited online and paid several thousand euros to vandalise the cars.

Greens and CDU respond to supposed Russian sabotage

In response to the announcement from security services, Greens co-leader Franziska Brantner told SPIEGEL, “This case shows that Russia is orchestrating a hybrid war against Europe. [The Greens] stand for democracy, freedom and justice - values that authoritarian regimes, namely Russia, reject and antagonise.”

Security expert Roderich Kiesewetter (CDU) supported Brantner's assessment, saying that Russia focuses attention on the Greens because they are “very clearly on the side of Ukraine and against Russian dependency”. 

Brantner also suggested that German infrastructure should be better protected against Russian interference, while Sebastian Hartmann (SPD) called for better coordination among German local authorities to expose instances of sabotage.

Thumb image credit: Svitlana Ozirna / Shutterstock.com