Workers arrested on suspicion of sabotaging German warships

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — German police are seen in Cologne, Germany, Oct. 15, 2018. (REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen)

BERLIN  -  Two workers have been arrested on suspicion of sabotaging several German warships at Hamburg harbour in 2025, German tabloid Bild reported on Tuesday.

The accused, a 37-year-old Romanian and a 54-year-old Greek, reportedly tampered with the vessels by pouring steel pellets into an engine block, puncturing fresh-water lines, removing fuel tank caps, and disabling fuses in the onboard electronics, the report said. 

The sabotage was discovered during pre-departure checks as one of the ships, the corvette "Emden", was preparing for its inaugural journey to the port city of Kiel.

According to Bild, the prosecutor general's office stated the alleged activities could have led to significant damage if left undetected. 

The two men were arrested in Hamburg and a village in Greece, with their residences in Hamburg, Romania, and Greece searched by authorities, the report added.

Neither the police nor Germany's defence ministry immediately responded to requests for comment.

The report did not link the sabotage to Russia, which political leaders and military officials have accused of engaging in acts of sabotage, espionage, and hybrid warfare since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The Kremlin has repeatedly denied such allegations, dismissing them as unsubstantiated.

 (Reporting by Sabine Siebold; editing by Philippa Fletcher // REUTERS)