Phoenix 24
The attack used conductive material rather than conventional gunfire to disrupt a critical electricity connection.
BRANDENBURG, GERMANY
German authorities are investigating a deliberate sabotage operation against the Turnow-Preilack electrical substation near the Jänschwalde coal-fired power plant. The attack caused two short circuits and temporarily forced one generating unit offline, although technicians restored the wider electricity supply before a regional blackout could develop.
Emergency services responding to reports of damage discovered multiple homemade explosive and incendiary devices. Investigators have now recovered a double-digit number of devices from the area. Bomb-disposal teams secured those that had not activated, and no injuries were reported.
The perpetrators appear to have used specially constructed projectiles to propel conductive material into high-voltage power lines. The material created electrical contact between components and successfully caused short circuits on two occasions. Brandenburg Interior Minister Jan Redmann rejected initial suggestions that the objects were ordinary fireworks, saying their construction required considerable preparation.
The substation connects Jänschwalde, Brandenburg’s largest power plant, to the transmission network operated by 50Hertz. Authorities believe the objective may have been to produce a widespread power outage. The rapid response of plant personnel, emergency services and grid operators prevented the disruption from spreading beyond the affected infrastructure.
No organisation has claimed responsibility, and investigators have not identified the perpetrators. Officials are examining possible extremist motives and have not excluded either domestic actors or foreign involvement. The sophistication of the devices may indicate specialist assistance, but that possibility remains under investigation.
The incident occurred as Germany formally blamed Russia for a separate explosive-drone plot at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The timing has intensified concern about attacks on critical infrastructure, but there is currently no established connection between the two cases. Treating them as linked without evidence would risk compromising both investigations. Germany’s immediate challenge is to strengthen physical protection around energy facilities while allowing forensic findings, rather than the broader political climate, to determine attribution.
Lo visible y lo oculto, en contexto. / The visible and the hidden, in context.