Romania Recalls Russian Ambassador Over Alleged September Sabotage

Romania recalled its Russian ambassador on Tuesday to protest a September fire in Brasov County, an incident the country's intelligence agency linked to a coordinated sabotage network.

President Nicusor Dan described the event as a grave violation of the NATO member's sovereignty and security. He made the remarks one day after the Romanian Intelligence Service identified a network it said was coordinated by Russia.

The fire occurred on September 14 and damaged facilities used by several commercial entities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that evidence gathered during the investigation was presented to the Russian diplomat during the meeting.

"The Romanian side underlined the unacceptable nature of these actions and the gravity of their implications for national security and the safety of citizens," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian officials did not comment on the new accusations, though the country has denied similar sabotage claims in other European nations in the past.

The Romanian agency for organized crime, DIICOT, announced on Monday that it is investigating three foreign citizens in connection with the Brasov fire. The suspects include two Belarusians and one Ukrainian, all of whom reside in European Union countries.

DIICOT reported that two suspects were detained in Germany while preparing to commit similar acts. A European arrest warrant was issued on Monday for the third suspect, who is located in Poland. Authorities are seeking to extradite all three individuals to Romania.

Video released by the intelligence service shows a person climbing a fire escape on a building, followed by flashes and flames engulfing the structure. Two people were later seen leaving the scene by bicycle.

Dan said the incident is part of a wider hybrid war waged by Moscow to weaken European democracies. He listed tactics including election interference, disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks, and sabotage.

"This hybrid war has been going on for years, taking various forms, all with the same goal: to weaken European states from within and erode solidarity among them," Dan said.

The Romanian Intelligence Service said its data suggests the network's targets extend beyond Romania to the wider region. The agency said Russia assigned the group a range of objectives, including state and private arms manufacturing facilities and other sites of military and industrial interest.

The agency noted that investigations this year uncovered other attempts against sites in Romania, including international military facilities and locations used for Ukrainian armed forces training. The Interior Ministry said the suspects' activities matched patterns observed in other cases attributed to Russia on Monday. Prime Minister Luca Niculescu also condemned the plan, saying the authorities dismantled a Russian sabotage network targeting the defense industry. "I consider those attacks unacceptable," Niculescu said Tuesday. "They will not dissuade us from our commitment to guarantee the security of Romanian citizens and Romania."