In its latest annual report, the Military counter-espionage service (MAD) records a spectacular increase in incidents of espionage And sabotage against the Bundeswehr. Since the Cold War, this level of activity by foreign intelligence services or missions has not been detected. … so focused on military objectives.
The report states that as a NATO logistics center and active partner in support of Ukraine, Germany is the focus of foreign espionage. It also notes that the degree of violence that foreign agents are willing to use in their missions has not been seen in the country for decades. “Some foreign intelligence services also do not hesitate to resort to assassination or kidnapping measures,” the document states.
Although the number of attacks and targets are not made public for reasons of national securitythe report contains clues about the density of its missions: German counter-espionage received a total of 67,976 security clearances and finished 67,894 procedures.
In 1,127 cases, the MAD recommended the determination of a safety risk. At least 24,880 investigations concerned the recruitment of agents by foreign services on German soil.
The MAD claims that “hybrid attacks have become permanent” and emphasizes that the secret services are also carrying out internal investigation from April 2024, with the stated objective of becoming structurally stronger. And among the additional range of tasks, the report also mentions “identification and defense of Russian intelligence special forces, including deadly operations.”
The “Taurus flight”
In the document, MAD assures that “Russian intelligence services are under strong pressure to achieve concrete objectives and show particular interest in information on weapons systems, NATO planning and support for Ukraine.”
One of the few cases that came to light was the one known as the “Tauro leak”, in which a confidential conversation of senior Air Force commanders was intercepted by enemy agents then published by Russian media.
The MAD strongly warns against travel to Russia either Belarus and emphasizes that German soldiers as well as their families and friends “are deliberately being put under pressure and are being asked to cooperate.”
Chinaaccording to this same report, follows a strategic approach to intelligence collection, particularly in the areas of the navy, the air force and cyber capabilities.
But Russia still leads the sabotage business, which has become one of the biggest threats to the Bundeswehr. Incidents occurred in Cologne-Wahn and Mechernich manipulation of drinking water supply in German army barracks, arson attacks on military vehicles in Erfurt and damage to military ships during stays in shipyards were also recorded.
Russian intelligence is increasingly using “disposable agents”, untrained people recruited on the Internet for reconnaissance or sabotage missions.
For this type of mission, Russian intelligence services are increasingly using “disposable agents”, who are people recruited online without specific training in intelligence and therefore beyond any suspicion, who accept reconnaissance or sabotage missions in exchange for money. This makes their detection and monitoring much more difficult.
The new security situation forces the MAD to adapt its structures. The deployment of the Lithuanian brigade opened a new chapter in intelligence. “Our army in Lithuania is a target for espionage and sabotage and Germany is the number one target area in Europe” for Russia, the MAD president told the German parliament. Martine Rosenbergdemanding more powers and budget, “in order to be able to face the many challenges more energetically and quickly and with well-equipped authorities”.
Also the NATO maneuverswhose operational command is in Germany, activities aimed at securing military exercises on the eastern flank and protecting critical infrastructure pose particular challenges. “As a service, MAD is more than willing to demystify the adversary in all areas of activity and by all means. However, to do this, the service needs sufficient human, legal and financial resources,” says Rosenberg.
The new Law to strengthen military security of the Bundeswehr, recently approved in the Bundestag, extends its competences in the analogue and digital fields and enables its operations abroad, outside the military field. “The best protection against espionage is to take this threat seriously, react cautiously to signals and inform the competent authorities in time,” says Rosenberg.
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