The Kremlin denied any involvement in a supposed sabotage campaign in NATO countries, dismissing the claims made by unnamed Western officials as unfounded and aimed at inciting anti-Russian sentiments. The Washington Post cited these officials as claiming that Russia had been recruiting individuals in Europe for covert operations involving acts of sabotage, which allegedly included incidents in Germany, Poland, and the UK.

According to the Post's article, the sources they referred to suggested that Moscow's operations in Europe were designed to provoke public unease and destabilize Western territories, all while avoiding a full-fledged armed conflict. These claims were further supported by comments from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, who raised concerns about hybrid attacks and disinformation campaigns purportedly orchestrated by Russia. Additionally, the Post reported on alleged Kremlin documents obtained by a European intelligence service, which supposedly contained information about Russian intelligence strategists urging actions like inciting ethnic hatred at a chemical plant in Germany.

Critical of the accusations made by Western officials and the Post's reporting, Peskov labeled the claims as part of a campaign to stoke Russophobic hysteria, emphasizing that the allegations lacked credibility and factual basis. The narrative presented by the outlet weaved together unverified incidents and vague assertions to paint a picture of a clandestine campaign by the Kremlin, a portrayal that was refuted by officials from Russia and affected European entities mentioned in the report.