Czech PM suspects Russia of attempted arson of buses in Prague

Petr Fiala, Prime Minister of Czechia, has suggested that Russia may be behind last week’s attempted arson of city buses in Prague.

According to Reuters, the police reported that they arrested a 26-year-old man on Saturday in connection with the foiled plot and charged him with terrorism.

"There is suspicion that the attack was organised and financed probably from Russia," Fiala said at a news conference.

He added that it was part of a hybrid war waged against Czechia by Russia, "against which we have to defend ourselves and which we must stop".

"Russia is repeatedly trying to sow unrest, undermine citizens' trust in our state," he noted.

The police said the suspect was a Spanish-speaking man from South America. He had been in the Czech Republic for five days before the attempted attack on Wednesday night.

The police noted that the suspect failed to carry out the attack due to the alertness of staff at the Prague bus depot.

On 8 June, police in Czechia enhanced security measures in public spaces, shopping malls, public transport and at railway stations due to the information about a possible terrorist attack.

At the beginning of May a series of big fires occurred in Poland – a shopping mall burned down in Warsaw, a big fire occurred in a car park near Katowice, there was also a string of lesser known incidents.

Later there were reports about the detention of nine people, suspected of sabotage activity in the territory of Poland ordered by Russia.