German intelligence report warns of rising Chinese, Russian spy threat

Germany’s military counter-intelligence agency, known as MAD, has warned of a growing threat from hybrid attacks and the use of recruited contract agents, or low-level agents, saying Germany is a “prioritised target of Russian espionage activities”.

According to the agency’s annual report released on Monday, it cited Germany’s geostrategic position in Europe and Nato the expansion of the Bundeswehr and the introduction of new weapons systems as reasons for the heightened targeting.

“The hybrid threat situation in Germany has continued to deteriorate,” MAD says. These include cyberattacks, drone attacks, attempts at political influence, and disruptive attacks targeting transport, energy facilities and telecommunications.

MAD said the potential threat of sabotage by low-level agents has also increased significantly. The report does not provide comparative figures, which could lead adversaries to draw conclusions from the data.