The Czech Prime Minister, Petr Fiala, has accused Russia of orchestrating and financing a failed arson attack in Prague last week. The incident, which targeted buses at a depot in the city, is believed to be part of a wider “hybrid” campaign of sabotage against European countries.
A foreign citizen, described as a Spanish-speaking man originally from South America, was arrested in connection with the attack and is facing terrorism charges. Prime Minister Fiala linked the attempted arson to a series of similar attacks across Europe, including in Warsaw and Lithuania, which he believes were carried out by Russian intelligence agents or their proxies.
Authorities have released CCTV footage of a suspect, warning the public not to approach him. The man was apprehended the following day and now faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted under terrorism legislation.
The Czech Republic has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine, providing military assistance following Russia’s invasion of the country. Tensions between Prague and Moscow have been high since the 2014 explosions at a Czech arms dump, which the Czech government blames on Russia’s GRU intelligence service.
Moscow denies any involvement in the recent arson attack in Prague, but Prime Minister Fiala remains adamant that the connection to Russia is “highly probable.” The BBC has reached out to the Russian foreign ministry for comment on the allegations.
