Overview
- Investigators say a man recruited from Ukraine surveilled the home of Stefan Thumann, a founder of the drone firm Donaustahl, and took photos during the operation.
- Bavarian police briefly detained the suspect after a foreign tip but released him for lack of evidence before later handset forensics uncovered tracking of Thumann and his father and contacts with Russian intelligence.
- Spanish authorities arrested the suspect in March and authorities later identified a suspected accomplice traced to Romania, with both arrests arising from international cooperation.
- Thumann has been placed under heightened personal protection while the case is repeatedly discussed in the Kanzleramt’s intelligence briefings, as officials investigate reports of similar spying at another unnamed company.
- The episode highlights gaps prosecutors face in espionage cases and is likely to push German policymakers to tighten security for small defense suppliers that openly support Ukraine.