Two arrested after suspected arson at defence site in Bavaria
Police in Bavaria have arrested two people after an alleged arson attack at a construction site near the headquarters of German defence manufacturer Rohde & Schwarz in Munich. The incident is being treated as part of a wider series of suspected sabotage cases in Germany, although investigators have not publicly attributed this fire to any state actor. Officials said the fire caused no significant damage and no one was injured.
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The suspects were identified by police as a 28-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man, both Bulgarian. They were arrested at a nearby petrol station after, police said, incendiary devices were thrown and a fire was started at the site. Bavarian police said they were investigating the circumstances of the incident, while Rohde & Schwarz confirmed there had been a police and fire brigade operation near its premises.
Rohde & Schwarz is known for products including radar systems used to detect, track and jam drones, which gives the site added sensitivity in the current security climate. The company's Munich-area location places the case in one of Germany's major industrial and technology centres. Even though the fire was limited in scale, the arrest of two suspects and the defence-related nature of the site have made the case politically significant.
The incident comes after two suspected sabotage attempts on Germany's power grid and a drone incident at Leipzig/Halle airport last month. German authorities have said the airport case was linked to Russia as part of what they describe as hybrid warfare, a claim Moscow denies. Germany and several of its allies have increasingly warned that critical infrastructure and strategic industries are being targeted in ways intended to intimidate and divide countries supporting Ukraine.
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The broader pattern has sharpened concern across Europe about the security of energy networks, transport hubs and defence-related facilities. It has also added pressure on governments to improve protection for infrastructure that could be vulnerable to low-cost disruption. In parallel, European allies are weighing further sanctions, while Russia has rejected the allegations and said it is responding to reciprocal diplomatic and cultural measures.
What remains unclear is the motive behind the Bavaria fire and whether it is connected to the other recent incidents under investigation. Police have not released further details about the suspects beyond their ages and nationality. The case is likely to remain under close scrutiny as German authorities continue their inquiries into suspected sabotage activity and its possible links to wider geopolitical tensions.
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