Overview

• German intelligence highlights Russia and China's growing reliance on private actors for sabotage and espionage, supplementing state mechanisms.
• Recent incidents include oil contamination on German warships, arson attacks in Lithuania and Poland, and incendiary packages, raising concerns over deliberate hybrid operations.
• A pro-Russian hacker group targeted 110 websites in February, including the Munich Security Conference, emphasizing the digital dimension of these threats.
• The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) calls for improved coordination and defenses to counter these evolving security challenges.
• Geopolitical shifts, including Russian aggression in Ukraine and China's expanding influence, are reshaping trade, investment, and security strategies in Germany and Europe.