Russia is blamed by experts for a wave of bomb hoaxes that grounded planes across Europe, including two British flights
A LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 737 like the aircraft carrying 181 passengers, including Jewish schoolchildren from a London school, that was diverted from its Heathrow-to-Warsaw route after a hoax bomb threat.A locator map of European flight routes, showing the countries affected by Tuesday's bomb threats, including the Ryanair jet from Manchester that landed under guard in Murcia, Spain.
Security and intelligence expert Professor Anthony Glees said it was "highly likely" that Vladimir Putin had ordered the coordinated hoax campaign, warning that Russia is waging a "kinetic shadow war" against Britain and the West using IRA-style disruption tactics. At least six flights — including two from British airports — were forced into emergency landings across Europe on Tuesday after anonymous bomb threats were called in against multiple airlines.
Military jets were launched to intercept two Ryanair aircraft originating from Lisbon and Dublin, which were escorted to Rome's Fiumicino airport following separate threats.
A LOT flight from London Heathrow diverted to Warsaw Modlin while a Ryanair jet from Manchester landed at Murcia; no devices were found on any aircraft.
The threats follow a Wizz Air bomb scare from London to Budapest on Monday, raising fears Russia is testing Western resilience through sustained hybrid warfare.
