Russia intensifies espionage in Germany: 200 agents undercover

Disguised as diplomats, around 200 agents are supposed to deliver information from Germany to the Russian secret services. That comes from a report by the news magazine FOCUS. In addition to the embassy in Berlin, the main areas of application are primarily Hamburg, Leipzig, Frankfurt and Munich.

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According to a report by the news magazine FOCUS, the Russian secret services have significantly increased their espionage activities in Germany. Around 200 agents disguised as diplomats procure confidential information for the Kremlin through conspiratorially recruited human sources in politics, business, the military and the media, so FOCUS citing an analysis by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV).

Difficult to grasp: diplomatic status protects Russian agents from the consequences

Most of the agent leaders, procurers and evaluators work in the Russian embassy in Berlin and in the consulates general in Hamburg, Leipzig, Frankfurt / Main and Munich. Their diplomatic status protects them from prosecution by German authorities. Compared to previous years, the secret service procurement of information from the Berlin government apparatus and the state parliaments has clearly gained in importance, judges the BfV.

A high-ranking intelligence agency told FOCUS that the surveillance of the Russian secret service is difficult. Due to their good practical training, they were largely beyond the control of the German security authorities. This bitter conclusion was recently drawn by Sir John Sawers, ex-director of the British secret service MI6. Only ten percent of the aggressive Russian espionage activities in Europe are known to the Western security authorities, Sawers said in an interview.

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