Intelligence agency sees more spying, sabotage focused on Germany

The level of espionage, sabotage and dangerous activities directed against Germany has increased significantly, and at this point assassinations cannot be ruled out, Germany's domestic intelligence services (BfV) said on Thursday.

Russia is the country's main adversary - but not the only one, Sinan Selen, president of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, as the intelligence agency is known, said at a joint meeting with the German Association for Security in Industry and Commerce (VSW).

The attackers are displaying "greater risk appetite" and “varied methods," he said, adding that "assassination operations" cannot be ruled out either.

Germany is perceived by Russia “as an adversary, and at times as enemy number one,” Selen said. Foreign operations are focusing in particular on the logistics industry as well as the defence and technology sectors.

Lessons from Estonia

Estonia's ambassador to Germany, Marika Linntam, told conference participants about an arson attack on a Ukrainian restaurant in the Estonian capital, Tallinn. It was later determined that this had been an “influence operation by the Russian secret service." It is typical that videos of such operations are disseminated via social media afterwards in order to unsettle the population.

Selen reported that the launch of a Joint Hybrid Defence Centre was imminent. The business sector would also be closely involved in this planned cooperation platform, which is intended to facilitate the exchange of information between his office, the police and the Federal Public Prosecutor.

VSW President Johannes Strümpfel said that many companies were now investing in their cyber defences, drawing up contingency plans and otherwise making significant efforts to enhance their resilience. Now the German parliament must lay out the legal parameters for the exchange of information between the business sector and the authorities, he said.

Hybrid warfare is considered a combination of military, economic, intelligence and propaganda measures, which can also be used to influence public opinion. State-sponsored cyberattacks are an example of this.