German intelligence report warns of rising Russian, Chinese spy threat

DPAMon, September 14, 2026 at 4:03 PM UTC2 min readAdd Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.Key takeawaysPowered by Yahoo Scout. Yahoo is using AI to generate key points from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.

• MAD expresses concern about German military personnel travelling abroad, noting that some members of the armed forces had travelled to Russia and Belarus, creating a vulnerability to blackmail and threats from the respective intelligence services.
• The MAD report highlights an increasing number of suspected cases of right-wing extremism within the Bundeswehr, with 519 new "case investigations" opened in 2025, representing a 26% increase from the previous year.

See more

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 "prioritized 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 transportation, energy facilities and telecommunications.

AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement

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.

It notes that embassies and semi-governmental organizations provide cover for Russian spying and also mentions press agencies.

MAD expressed concern about German military personnel travelling abroad, noting that some members of the armed forces had travelled to Russia and Belarus, often to visit family.

During these trips, they had reportedly come to the attention of the respective intelligence services. "This creates a particular vulnerability to blackmail and threats from the security authorities there," the report stated.

AdvertisementAdvertisement

Turning to China, the report noted that at least some surveillance activities targeting military infrastructure, including drone overflights and intrusions onto Bundeswehr property, can be attributed to Chinese intelligence services. These services also make use of the Chinese diaspora.

The MAD has also recorded an increasing number of suspected cases of right-wing extremism within the Bundeswehr.

In 2025, a total of 519 new "case investigations" relating to this area were opened, up from 413 in 2024, representing an increase of around 26%.

According to the report, the MAD identified 11 armed forces personnel as right-wing extremists last year and 21 individuals for whom there was credible evidence giving rise to suspicion of a lack of loyalty to the constitution.

AdvertisementAdvertisement

The report highlights incidents involving sexual misconduct, drugs and extremism among paratroopers, which repeatedly made the headlines.

New youth groups are said to be gaining influence particularly through the use of social media, and the MAD notes a continuing "blurring of boundaries" in right-wing extremism, with far-right views increasingly being "normalized."

According to the report, these groups have repeatedly been involved in right-wing extremist disruptive actions against public events such as Pride celebrations or attacks on political opponents.