Archive · 3 Sep 2026
Germany Probes Suspected Arson Near Defence Firm Amid Sabotage Concerns
A fire started at a building site near a German defence company in Munich.
The company is called Rohde & Schwarz.
Police arrested two Bulgarian citizens near the location.
The fire was put out quickly, and nobody was hurt.
Investigators are trying to determine whether the fire was deliberately started.
Germany has recently investigated other possible sabotage attempts against its electricity network.
German officials say foreign powers or extremist groups could be involved, but they have not established who was responsible.
Russia denies involvement in a separate drone incident that Germany blamed on Moscow.
A fire broke out overnight at a construction site near Rohde & Schwarz headquarters in Munich.
Police arrested a 28-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man, both Bulgarian nationals, near the site.
The fire caused no significant damage and injured no one before being extinguished.
The investigation comes after attempted power-grid sabotage in Brandenburg and North Rhine-Westphalia.
Germany and allies have raised concerns about possible foreign involvement, while Russia denies involvement in an earlier drone attack.
- Who
- German police, Rohde & Schwarz, and two arrested Bulgarian nationals; German and allied officials are also discussing wider sabotage concerns.
- What
- Authorities are investigating a suspected arson fire at a construction site near a defence company’s headquarters.
- When
- The fire occurred overnight before Thursday, September 3; the arrests and investigation were reported that day.
- Where
- Near Rohde & Schwarz’s headquarters in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
- Why
- The investigation is taking place amid heightened concern about sabotage targeting German infrastructure and defence-related facilities.
German Authorities and Allies
Russia’s Position
Possible foreign involvement
German Authorities and Allies
German authorities say they cannot rule out foreign involvement or domestic left-wing extremists in recent sabotage cases, and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt warned that foreign powers could use extremist groups as proxies.
Russia’s Position
Russia strongly denies involvement in the separate attempted drone attack on a Ukrainian cargo plane that Germany and its allies blamed on Moscow.
Broader security response
German Authorities and Allies
Germany has increased attention on threats to critical infrastructure, while Poland condemned what Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski called Russian state terrorism and supported Germany’s response.
Russia’s Position
Russia rejected the accusations and announced the closure of Germany’s Goethe-Institut cultural centres as a retaliatory measure after similar moves by Berlin.
Responsibility for the Munich fire
German Authorities and Allies
Police are investigating the Munich fire as suspected arson, but officials have not publicly established who caused it or whether it was connected to foreign activity.
Russia’s Position
No direct Russian position on the Munich fire is reported, and no responsibility for that incident has been established.
- Location
- Construction site near Rohde & Schwarz headquarters in Munich, Bavaria
- Incident
- Overnight fire investigated as suspected arson
- Arrests
- A 28-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man, both Bulgarian nationals
- Damage
- No significant damage was reported
- Casualties
- No one was injured
- Related investigations
- Police also examined attempted electricity-grid sabotage in Brandenburg and North Rhine-Westphalia
- Company
- Rohde & Schwarz makes products including radar systems used to detect, track and jam drones