The aviation sector has borne the brunt of the initial wave. At least seven flights and a cruise ship received hoax threats, triggering responses in Poland, Bulgaria, Italy, and Spain. A second wave on Thursday affected at least 27 flights. On Friday, Prague’s Vaclav Havel Airport reported nine threatened flights, including arrivals from Denmark, Spain, and Britain, and departures to the Netherlands, Cyprus, Romania, Italy, and Britain. Aviation security protocols were activated, with airlines running threat reports through checklists and authorities scrambling fighter jets or diverting aircraft for full security sweeps. Eric Schouten, head of aviation security group Dyami, noted that while the vast majority of such threats are false alarms, the coordinated nature of this wave has raised concerns about its widening impact.
The threats have since extended to media institutions. On Friday, the Irish public broadcaster RTE and Bulgaria’s Nova TV received emailed bomb threats from a sender identifying as “Mikhail Andropov.” The messages, headlined “Message to the West,” portrayed the threats as a prelude to attacks on European transport. RTE evacuated its offices and suspended programming, while the British broadcaster Sky also reported receiving a security threat. Reuters has not been able to independently verify the identity of the sender, the origin of the emails, or whether they share a common source with the aviation threats. Authorities generally do not disclose the specific delivery method of threats to avoid encouraging copycats or compromising investigations.
Simultaneously, Polish authorities reported that dozens of schools and kindergartens in Warsaw were evacuated on Wednesday following similar bomb threats. Warsaw police spokesperson Marta Haberska told TVP World that while no actual threat was confirmed, all procedures were being followed. Students, including preschool children, were moved to safe areas in districts such as Mokotow, Ursynow, and Wilanow, interrupting classes and exams. Similar incidents were reported in Poznan, where police described the threats as likely having low credibility. Police have not stated whether the school threats are linked to the aviation or media incidents, nor have they identified any suspects. Under Polish law, making a false bomb threat is a criminal offense punishable by up to eight years in prison.
These disruptions occur against a backdrop of heightened security awareness in Europe, following recent incidents involving drone incursions and attacks on infrastructure. The current wave of hoaxes has not been confirmed as a single coordinated campaign, but the simultaneous targeting of critical infrastructure and media outlets has prompted urgent security reviews. Authorities continue to verify reports according to procedure to ensure public safety while investigating the origins of the messages.
