Russia uses blackmail and bribery to recruit spies in Germany. It happened after EU countries expelled over 600 Moscow diplomats.
Points of attention
- Russian intelligence services are using blackmail and bribery to recruit spies in Germany after EU diplomats were expelled.
- The high costs of hiring agents and paying fees indicate Russia's persistence in attracting spies.
- Russian special services use aggressive recruitment methods aimed at Germans living in Russia or regularly travelling there.
How does Russia recruit spies in Germany?
As the head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) of Germany, Thomas Haldenwang, said, the Russian special services are spending a lot of money to hire agents in Germany.
Russia is making every effort to compensate for the German government's reduction in the number of Russian agents in Germany, Heldenwang added.
He clarified that last year, Moscow paid approximately 400,000 euros to two German citizens who were caught spying for Russia.
The agents' fees show that the Russian services still have huge financial resources to achieve their intelligence goals, Heldenwang said.
The official added that the "targets" of the Russian special services are mostly Germans who live in Russia or regularly travel there, including German diplomats.
The head of the BfV emphasised that as soon as they have compromising information about their "targets," these services do not hesitate to use aggressive recruitment methods.
What has preceded it
Germany has repeatedly expelled Russian diplomats from the country. European states suspect that some of the diplomats of the Russian Federation may work for the Russian special services.
In particular, Berlin expelled 40 Russian diplomats as early as 2022 after the whole world saw the consequences of Russian atrocities in Bucha.
Also, at the beginning of May, Britain decided to expel a Russian diplomat, as it turned out that he was "an undeclared employee of the military intelligence of the Russian Federation."
