German prosecutors warn Russia is using cheap auxiliary spies to undermine Ukraine support

The Federal Prosecutor's Office in Germany says Russian intelligence services are increasingly relying on low‑cost, untrained auxiliary agents operating in the country. Generalbundesanwalt Jens Rommel warned that these helpers are not only gathering information but also preparing sabotage or attacks on targeted individuals, aiming to weaken German support for Ukraine.

Since early 2024, a series of arrests have been made – a pro‑Russian networker in Berlin, a Romanian and a Ukrainian who spied on a drone‑delivery conduit, a Ukrainian who monitored a former Ukrainian combatant living in Germany, and a Kazakh who passed on details about German military aid to Ukraine. The number of espionage investigations has risen sharply, from 16 cases in 2024 to 20 active procedures by March 2026. The domestic intelligence agency (BfV) notes that the war in Ukraine has acted as a catalyst for Russian espionage activity targeting political, military and critical‑infrastructure sites in Germany.