Protection of the constitution:

Europe is increasingly the victim of Russian sabotage

The Russian state is penetrating ever deeper into Europe.

(Bild: Jakub Krechowicz)

The German Office for the Protection of the Constitution warns of increasing Russian sabotage activities in Europe. Particularly explosive: evidence suggests that Russian intelligence services are specifically evaluating the social media profiles of employees of German companies.

"The aim is said to have been to identify people who could be susceptible to Russian attempts to exert influence or to initiate sabotage", according to a recent security notice from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

The extent of Russian acts of sabotage in Europe depends on the situation in the Ukraine war and the development of the conflict between Russia and the West. The security notice for the economy continues: "The cases observed across Europe since 2023 and increased indications of possible activities in Germany have currently led to an adjusted assessment: There is an increased risk of sabotage activities or corresponding preparatory acts in Germany."

"Hacktivist groups" 
At the same time, cyberattacks by pro-Russian hackers on the websites of German authorities and companies continue to be observed. However, the effects of such attacks by "hacktivist groups" have so far mostly been limited in time and the affected websites have only been temporarily unavailable.

Arson and vandalism
Several cases of arson or attempted arson are currently being investigated in other European countries. Investigations are also underway into vandalism and propaganda activities that could be attributable to Russian intelligence services. "Low-level agents" are being recruited for this - predominantly young, Russian-speaking people who are pro-Russian and want to earn money quickly.