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Russia's Latin American arsonists

28:14

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September 14, 2026

In 2024, several Latin Americans were caught committing sabotage on behalf of Russia. A DW investigation reveals how they came to work for Moscow's secret services and who recruited them.

It started with an arson attack at a Polish construction-supply business and continued with arrests in Czechia and Romania for similar offenses. Just weeks later, Lithuanian investigators uncovered a plot to set fire to military equipment. All of the suspects were from Spanish-speaking countries, but investigators traced the actions back to Russia's secret services.

DW and three other European broadcasters have spent more than a year looking into this case. This documentary reveals how Russia reached across continents to organize a destabilizing campaign against Europe and follow the trail of these attacks to a dance studio in Russia.

A cooperation with the LRT, RTVE, ČT and the Investigative Journalist Network EBU

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Close up — The Current Affairs Documentary

Our weekly half-hour program delivers in-depth reporting on topical political issues and newsworthy events. Revealing the story behind the stories, Close Up is informative, gripping and visually powerful.

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