On August 25, 2026, Slovak police prevented a large-scale arson attack on a factory producing unmanned aerial vehicles in the eastern part of the country. Three foreign citizens were detained on charges of organizing the attack.
Operation details
The police operation, codenamed “Drone,” was conducted after receiving information from the Slovak Information Service (SIS) and Military Intelligence. Two suspects were detained in Slovakia, and the third in Germany under a European arrest warrant.
According to law enforcement, about 70 workers could have been present at the factory at the time of the planned attack. The value of property in the production workshop is estimated at tens of millions of euros.
During searches, police seized a significant amount of incendiary mixture, tools, mobile phones, an action camera, and a hand-drawn plan of the facility. Preliminary examination showed that the seized mixture consisted of gasoline and polystyrene, known as napalm.
Ukrainian trace and geopolitical context
According to media reports, the target of the attack was a factory of the Ukrainian company Skyeton, which produces advanced reconnaissance drones. Skyeton, founded by Ukrainian businessman Oleksandr Stepura, moved part of its production to Slovakia to protect it from Russian attacks. The factory is located near the city of Prešov (Prešov) and manufactures complex reconnaissance drones capable of operating deep behind enemy lines.
A Skyeton representative noted that Russians regularly try to attack production facilities of companies working for Ukraine and also damage their reputation. This incident is one of the first known attempts to attack a military equipment manufacturer in Slovakia.
In recent months, cases of sabotage and arson targeting industrial and logistics infrastructure, especially facilities involved in weapons production, have increased in EU countries. In March this year, a facility of the Ukrainian company Archer-LPP producing thermal imaging devices was set on fire in the Czech city of Pardubice (Pardubice).
Slovak police do not disclose the nationality of the detained persons or the clients behind the attack, citing an ongoing investigation. The suspects have been charged with preparing a particularly serious crime — threat to public safety, committed on behalf of another party.
