21.03.2025 14:31
A fire at an electrical substation near Heathrow Airport in London has caused the cancellation of all flights at the UK's busiest airport. Authorities are investigating whether the incident is linked to Russian leader Vladimir Putin's sabotage campaign against the West. The fire has affected over 1,300 flights and left thousands of homes without electricity.
A fire at an electrical transformer station near Heathrow Airport in London has caused all flights to be canceled at the UK's busiest airport. Counter-terrorism police are investigating whether the incident is linked to Vladimir Putin's sabotage campaign against the West.
More than 1,300 flights were affected due to the fire, and thousands of homes were left without electricity. Over 100 people were evacuated after a loud explosion was heard at the transformer station in the North Hyde area.
Western officials have accused Russia and its collaborators of carrying out various sabotage incidents across Europe since the invasion of Ukraine. These actions are believed to be aimed at creating division in Europe and weakening support for Ukraine.
Security expert Will Geddes stated, "If I were an enemy foreign power and wanted to disrupt one of the world's busiest airports, I would target critical infrastructure like a transformer station."
Geddes added, "The Russians are examining everything from our underwater fiber optic cables to our nuclear power plants. The fact that this facility could be so easily disabled and have such a significant impact is concerning."
According to a report by The Times, counter-terrorism police are investigating the possibility of sabotage and how a single fire could collapse such a large infrastructure.
The incident occurred following allegations that Russian spies had placed incendiary devices in cargo depots across Europe last year. Experts are worried that such incidents could serve as tests for larger attacks.
Russia expert Bob Seely noted that the chaos experienced is at least a "warning" against the threat of sabotage.