Russian espionage: Drone surveillance threatens Germany!

Russian espionage: Drone surveillance threatens Germany!

The security situation in Germany is becoming increasingly threatening, and not just recently. Since the start of the Ukraine War, Russian espionage on German soil has increased significantly. According to the daily news Drones were specifically used to monitor military bases and weapons transport routes. This information comes from Western intelligence services and was picked up by media outlets such as the New York Times and Wirtschaftswoche.

Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius expressed little surprise about the espionage activities. He made it clear that the Bundeswehr was not responsible for monitoring civilian territories or road connections. Nevertheless, security measures for military installations were increased; Anti-drone techniques are used to counteract the overflights. “It's a constant game of cat and mouse,” is how he describes the challenges associated with espionage activities.

Hybrid attacks in focus

According to this, there are increasing numbers in Germany RND not only spying operations, but also acts of sabotage, which are carried out using a well-stocked toolbox of Russian secret services. General Carsten Breuer, the Bundeswehr's inspector general, warns that hybrid attacks on Germany are commonplace. Russia is acting below the NATO Article 5 threshold, which makes the situation more complicated.

The security authorities have increased their vigilance since February 2022. There are increasing reports of acts of sabotage and the use of people without intelligence experience recruited at short notice to cause damage. There have been several incidents in the recent past, including the arrests of three Ukrainians in Cologne who are said to have planned attacks on goods transport in Germany.

The dark side of espionage

The threat from Russian secret services is not new, as shown by the 2019 Tiergarten murder case, in which a Georgian was murdered by a Russian agent. A suspected spy in the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), who is said to have passed on secret information to the FSB, was also discovered in December 2022. In June 2024, three more suspected spies who were collecting information about a former Ukrainian officer were taken into custody in Frankfurt am Main.

In addition, Russian drone activity is increasing over military sites and industrial facilities to collect data and test defense responses. Acts of sabotage against cars allegedly sponsored by Russia and the recent hacker attacks on the SPD party headquarters also illustrate the current threat situation. Hundreds of cars were damaged in late winter, suggesting a coordinated attack, and a fire on a utility pole recently disrupted production at Tesla.

Concern about German security is growing, and the challenges in dealing with these hybrid attacks are clear. The Russian leadership apparently sees the war as a permanent situation and continues to invest in its sophisticated tactics to put Germany under pressure. Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaack also warned of the aggressiveness of the Russian Navy and the risk of escalation.