Germany narrowly avoided a plane crash earlier this year after a parcel destined for an aircraft’s hold burst into flames before the flight in a suspected act of sabotage, one of the country’s spy chiefs has said as he warned of a dramatic increase in “aggressive behaviour” by Russian agents.

An act of sabotage believed to be linked to Russia came close to causing a plane crash in Germany this year, intelligence services warned on Monday. The incident in July saw a package catch fire at a DHL logistics centre in the eastern city of Leipzig,

According to German counterintelligence, Russia was most likely behind the incident involving an aircraft shipment equipped with an igniter. "Had the fire occurred during the flight, it would have led to a disaster,

Russia could be in a position to attack NATO "by the end of the decade," according to German intelligence. Having noted an increase in espionage and sabotage, spy chiefs are demanding greater powers and flexibility.