Romania Accuses Russia of Sabotage Near ROMARM Arms Factory, Summons Ambassador

Romania has accused a Russia-coordinated sabotage network of starting a fire near the state-owned CARFIL arms factory in Brașov, as authorities investigate a wider operation allegedly targeting defense manufacturers and military infrastructure across Europe.

The Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI) announced on October 26, 2026, that an investigation conducted with domestic and international partners had identified a network linked to the September 14 fire at the Carfil industrial complex.

Romanian prosecutors have identified three suspects, including two Belarusian nationals and one Ukrainian citizen. Two were arrested in Germany, while a third was located in Poland.

The case escalated diplomatically on October 27, when Romania's Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Vladimir Lipaev and formally protested what it described as a Russian-coordinated act of sabotage.

Russia's embassy in Bucharest rejected the accusations, denying Russian involvement.

Fire Near CARFIL Arms Factory Linked to Sabotage Investigation

According to Romania's Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), the September 14 fire affected premises occupied by several commercial companies on an industrial site immediately adjacent to CARFIL SA.

CARFIL is a subsidiary of Romania's state-owned defense manufacturer ROMARM, which produces weapons and ammunition.

Although the incident occurred near the defense factory, authorities have not confirmed that CARFIL's own manufacturing facilities were damaged or that its production operations were interrupted.

DIICOT said evidence collected during the investigation linked three suspects to the incident.

The Bucharest Court of Appeal issued European arrest warrants in absentia. Two suspects were subsequently arrested in Germany, where Romanian prosecutors said they were preparing similar activities.

A third European arrest warrant was issued on October 26 for the suspect located in Poland.

Romanian authorities are seeking the suspects' extradition as the investigation into attempted acts of sabotage continues.

No final court ruling establishing their guilt has been announced.

Romanian Intelligence Identifies Wider Threat to European Arms Manufacturers

SRI said the suspected network's activities extended beyond Romania.

According to the intelligence service, coordinators operating from the Russian Federation had assigned additional targets across the region, including state-owned and private weapons manufacturing facilities and other military and industrial sites.

The agency also reported identifying attempted sabotage operations targeting facilities in Romania associated with international military activities and the training of Ukrainian armed forces.

SRI described the incident as part of a wider campaign of sabotage attributed to Russia in Europe.

The agency warned that sabotage networks can recruit individuals through social media, initially offering payment for apparently minor assignments before involving them in more serious criminal activities.

Romanian authorities say investigations are continuing in cooperation with European and transatlantic partners.

Romania Summons Russian Ambassador

On October 27, Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Russian Ambassador Vladimir Lipaev in connection with the Brașov incident.

The ministry said Romania had formally protested the sabotage operation and attributed responsibility to Russia based on evidence gathered during the investigation.

Romanian officials described the incident as part of a broader pattern of hybrid threats affecting European security and strategically important infrastructure.

The Russian Embassy rejected the allegations later the same day, stating that Moscow had neither planned nor coordinated sabotage operations in Romania and disputing the evidence presented by Romanian authorities.

The competing statements come while judicial proceedings against the three suspects remain ongoing.

CARFIL Expanding Cooperation with European Drone Manufacturers

The incident comes as CARFIL seeks to expand its role in Romania's defense industry, including ammunition production and cooperation with international unmanned systems manufacturers.

On October 22, AdriaDefense reported that CARFIL expects its first contracts with Greek drone manufacturer ALTUS-LSA in December.

The companies recently signed a memorandum covering specialized ammunition for drone interception systems, technology transfer and potential joint production in Romania.

CARFIL has also worked on military drone prototypes with US-based Periscope Aviation.

The company employs approximately 550 people and forms part of ROMARM's network of Romanian weapons and ammunition manufacturers.

There is no publicly confirmed evidence that the September fire disrupted these industrial initiatives or affected CARFIL's production capacity.

However, the investigation highlights the security challenges facing European defense manufacturers as governments seek to expand ammunition output, drone production and military supply chains.

European Defense Industry Faces Growing Sabotage Concerns

The Romanian investigation follows other incidents involving defense companies across Central and Eastern Europe.

In September, AdriaDefense reported that Estonian authorities attributed an arson attack targeting Milrem Robotics to Russian security services.

The August incident involved a building used by the Estonian unmanned ground vehicle manufacturer in Tallinn.

Authorities in Estonia identified three suspects and said the operation had been commissioned by Russian intelligence services.

The cases raise broader questions about the physical security of European defense facilities, particularly manufacturers involved in military assistance to Ukraine and the expansion of NATO's defense-industrial capacity.

Protecting manufacturing sites, sensitive equipment and supply chains has become an increasingly important consideration for defense companies operating across the region.

For Romania, the ongoing investigation will determine the legal responsibility of the individuals involved and may provide further information about the alleged network's activities in other European countries.

The extent of any direct impact on CARFIL's industrial operations remains unconfirmed.

Sources: Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI), October 26, 2026; Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), October 26, 2026; Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, October 27, 2026; Russian Embassy statement reported by TVR, October 27, 2026.