A Cuban dance teacher living in Russia, identified as Oemis Romagoza Durruthy, allegedly orchestrated a network of saboteurs conducting arson and sabotage attacks across at least four European Union countries in 2024. According to an investigation by Deutsche Welle (DW) and European media partners, Romagoza, using the alias “Dios,” recruited vulnerable individuals, mainly from Spanish-speaking countries, to carry out these operations targeting facilities linked to support for Ukraine.
The attacks included fires at logistics hubs, bus garages, and supply businesses connected to military and civilian infrastructure. European prosecutors publicly linked these acts to Russian military intelligence (GRU), and Romagoza remains internationally wanted while possibly residing in Russia.
Recruitment Through Social Media and Vulnerable Candidates
Romagoza used Telegram and Facebook groups aimed at Latin Americans seeking work or military deployment abroad to post job offers and recruit people with military experience. He promised monetary compensation and bonuses for completed operations. One key recruit, Luis Alfonso Murillo Diosa from Colombia, was approached to carry out sabotage missions in Bucharest but was arrested before he could commit arson. Murillo claimed he was unaware of who he was working for and intended to travel to Ukraine to join the fight there.
Experts noted that the Kremlin increasingly relies on such “disposable agents,” often individuals with limited connections to Russian intelligence and sometimes unaware of the real mission goals. This tactic emerged after significant expulsions of Russian diplomats suspected of espionage across Europe beginning in 2022.
Scope of Sabotage and Russian Intelligence Involvement
Between early and late 2024, these recruited agents carried out several arson attacks, including fires at a Polish shopping center, an IKEA store in Lithuania, and logistics sites in multiple countries. German authorities also reported a drone attack against a Ukrainian freight plane. Lithuanian prosecutors directly attributed these incidents to Russia’s military intelligence.
Romagoza, originally from Camaguey, Cuba, has lived in Russia for at least seven years, working as a Latin dance instructor. Despite his public persona in dance circles, leaked court and social media documents reveal his covert role in recruiting and directing sabotage activities. Financial difficulties may have contributed to his engagement with Russian intelligence, as evidenced by borrowing records and sudden involvement in job groups related to Ukraine and Poland.
Ongoing Concerns and Legal Actions
At least nine of Romagoza’s recruits have been apprehended, with some sentenced to prison terms ranging from six to eight years for attempted sabotage or terrorism. Others await trial. Authorities across Europe continue to investigate related attacks, with arrests as recent as August 2025 in Estonia and Poland for incidents tied to Russian sabotage campaigns targeting military supply chains.
Romagoza remains at large, potentially still in Russia, continuing to maintain his dance studio presence online while reportedly engaging with Latin American job-seeking groups.
