German Intelligence Warns 21 Defence Firms Are in Moscow’s Crosshairs
Published on 07/23/2026 at 12:31 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), has issued an urgent alert to the country’s defence sector, warning that Russian state actors are actively targeting 21 European companies named on a list compiled by Moscow’s defence ministry. The warning, made public on Wednesday, underscores a sharp escalation in hybrid warfare tactics aimed at undermining German arms production.
The BfV identified three primary objectives behind the Russian operations: discrediting firms, disrupting supply chains, and stealing production secrets. Phishing attacks routed through the encrypted messaging platform Signal are a particular concern, the agency said. Physical threats also remain high — the BfV reiterated that protective measures for senior executives are still necessary, following the revelation in 2024 that there had been assassination plots against Rheinmetall chief executive Armin Papperger.
Concrete espionage attempts have already been detected. In September 2025, investigators discovered a hidden camera near a military battalion in the town of Minden. Beyond state-sponsored threats, the BfV also flagged a risk from left-wing extremist groups targeting companies that export defence goods to Israel. Just this Tuesday, police in DĂĽsseldorf raided the homes of activists following a protest against a Bundeswehr contractor.
Berlin doubles down on defence-tech investment
Alongside the security warning, the federal government on Tuesday approved a sweeping start-up strategy containing 152 individual measures. A central pillar is the strengthening of defence-tech companies, with the state planning to take direct equity stakes in young arms manufacturers. Economy Minister Reiche said the government intends to act more aggressively as an anchor customer. In 2025 alone, roughly €1.3 billion in venture capital flowed into German defence start-ups.
To backstop these efforts, the cabinet has adopted the “CyberGovSecure” programme, which aims to fundamentally overhaul cybersecurity for public administration and critical infrastructure. Digital Minister Wildberger said the current patchwork of overlapping responsibilities was no longer tenable. The government is also developing a “Cyberdome” to protect state IT systems.
Industry expansion accelerates despite tensions
Even as the threat environment tightens, the defence industry is pouring money into capacity. In the Bavarian town of Aschau, Rheinmetall subsidiary Nitrochemie held a ground-breaking ceremony yesterday for an expansion of its powder plant. Investment in the triple-digit millions will lift annual production from 1,700 tonnes to 4,200 tonnes of propellant powder. Bavaria’s premier, Markus Söder, called the site Europe’s largest powder plant and stressed its strategic importance for European munitions independence. The facility includes a raw-material storage depot for nitrocellulose capable of securing three years of output.
New capacity is also coming online for drone defence. In Brandenburg, a specialised hub for countering unmanned aerial systems opened yesterday. Authorities reported 225 cases of flight disruptions caused by drones across Germany in 2025.
Rosatom-linked fuel production gets conditional green light
A politically contentious project has been given the go-ahead under strict security conditions. In Lingen, fuel-rod production involving technology from Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, may continue. The permit, issued yesterday, comes with stringent requirements: a ban on Russian personnel accessing the site and full IT separation of the affected production areas. Lower Saxony’s environment ministry criticised the decision, but security agencies said the protective measures make the risk manageable.
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