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Sex Toys and Fake Cosmetics Used in Parcel Bomb Plot Linked to Russia, Reuters Reports
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![Ivan_khomenko]( "Ivan Khomenko")
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Ivan Khomenko")
Russia is suspected of orchestrating a series of incendiary attacks across Europe last summer using disguised explosive devices hidden in parcels containing sex toys and counterfeit cosmetics, according to a detailed report by Reuters published on April 5.
The findings are based on an ongoing Polish investigation and statements from European security officials.
According to Reuters, incendiary devices were concealed inside massage pillows, cosmetic tubes, and sex toys, then shipped through international courier services to the UK, Germany, and Poland.
The packages ignited at warehouses in Birmingham (UK), Leipzig (Germany), and near Warsaw (Poland) on July 19, 20, and 21, 2024. While the fires caused damage, no injuries were reported.
A source familiar with the Polish investigation said that the homemade devices used a combination of chemicals, including highly reactive magnesium, and were triggered by pre-set timers made from inexpensive electronic gadgets—similar to those used for key trackers.
The devices were reportedly activated shortly before dispatch and included flammable gel disguised as cosmetic products.
The source added that the investigation concerns activities allegedly “inspired by Russia’s GRU,” Moscow’s military intelligence agency. At least five suspected members of the alleged sabotage cell have been detained, and Polish authorities have also recovered a fourth unexploded parcel in Warsaw.
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One of the suspects, identified as Vladyslav Derkavets, a Ukrainian national residing in southern Poland, allegedly followed instructions received via Telegram from a GRU handler known only as “Warrior.”
Polish prosecutors believe that Derkavets traveled to Kaunas, Lithuania, on July 18 to collect materials from a parked car. He later assembled and mailed the parcels from Vilnius, using a code word “Mary” to hand them over to a contact in a public park.
Derkavets was arrested in early August and remains in custody in Poland. He has denied the charges, according to the national prosecutor’s office. Officials said he provided “extensive explanations,” the content of which remains confidential due to the ongoing investigation.
Another suspect, Russian national Alexander Bezrukavyi, was extradited from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Poland in February 2025. Prosecutors allege he helped gather logistical data on parcel shipments by sending packages to North America to test delivery timelines and processing methods. He also denies involvement.
European security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the tactics observed in this case reflect typical Russian intelligence operations, including the recruitment of local individuals for sabotage missions and the use of encrypted messaging platforms like Telegram for communication.
The incidents were made public in October 2024, when EU officials described them as part of a broader “hybrid war” campaign aimed at destabilizing countries that support Ukraine. The plot is believed to have served as a trial run for potential midair detonations of similar devices aboard cargo flights to the United States and Canada.
Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that Russia had formed a secret military unit within the GRU—known as the Department of Special Tasks—to conduct sabotage, assassinations, and covert operations across Europe and beyond.
The unit, led by Colonel General Andrey Averyanov, has been linked to arson attacks, assassination attempts, and efforts to place incendiary devices on cargo planes, as part of a broader campaign to undermine Western support for Ukraine.
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