Germany investigates two alleged cases of Russian espionage in the Ministry of Economic Affairs
The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) - Germany's intelligence agency - is investigating two high-ranking officials at the Ministry of Economics for alleged Russian espionage, the political weekly Die Zeit has revealed. According to reports, the two defendants, who are "involved in energy supply in key positions", aroused the suspicions of their colleagues by defending pro-Russian positions and criticising the energy policy decisions of Olaf Scholz's government, in particular the decision to suspend the Russian-German Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.
According to the German media, the two officials are also 'emotionally close' to Russia, and one of them studied in the country. However, this cannot be considered a key piece of evidence, as many members of the German political elite have maintained strong ties with the Kremlin in recent years. The best example is Gerhard Schröder, a former German chancellor who sat on the board of the Russian giant Gazprom and was closely involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2.
Despite the ongoing investigation, German authorities have "no clear evidence" that the two suspects have acted in favour of Russian interests. However, Die Zeit warns: "If the espionage is confirmed, it will be a total failure for the German government and a victory for the Kremlin".
On the other hand, this would not be the first case of Russian espionage in the country. In August, a Düsseldorf court tried a German army reservist accused of working as a Russian spy for six years. The prosecution accuses the former officer of leaking information about the German army and personal details of senior officers to Russian military intelligence (GRU) agents working at the Russian embassy in Berlin between 2014 and 2020.
Also in August, Der Spiegel magazine reported a case of espionage by Russian intelligence services with the aim of 'agitating and sabotaging' the West. Also during that month, it was reported that the German authorities had indications that Russian intelligence spied on Ukrainian soldiers undergoing military training in Germany.
Weeks before the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, a Munich court tried a Russian scientist accused of revealing information related to Europe's Ariane space programme. Similarly, in September 2021, an employee of a German security company was accused of providing the German parliament's blueprints to Russian secret services.
Germany is not the only European country targeted by Russian intelligence. In late August, three suspected Russian spies were arrested in Albania after attacking two guards at a military base.
The spies - two Russian citizens and one Ukrainian - have been charged by the Albanian prosecutor's office with "obtaining secret information of a military or any other nature in order to supply it to a foreign power, which violates the country's independence".
?Disturbing from @Nato member country Albania. Russian suspected agents arrested, while two soldiers are injured, one in critical condition w/ “chemical agent” local media report. Ministry of Defense confirmed three foreign tried to enter weapons factory: https://t.co/4EQ2YtSnro
— Petrit Selimi (@Petrit) August 20, 2022
As in Germany, this is not the first case of Russian espionage in the country. Last summer two Russian citizens on tourist visas were detained at the Kucova airbase.
