A major political scandal has erupted in Germany surrounding the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Political opponents accuse the party’s MPs of using parliamentary inquiries to gather confidential information that could be useful to Russian intelligence. The focus is on Thuringia state parliament MP Ringo Mühlmann, who has shown a keen interest in issues related to arms supplies to Ukraine and drone defence.
According to Politico, Mühlmann, a former police officer, has submitted numerous inquiries about the routes used to transport Western weapons to Ukraine, drone defence systems and other aspects of national security. Opponents from centrist parties believe that such activity goes beyond normal parliamentary control and may serve the interests of the Kremlin.
Thuringia’s Interior Minister Georg Meyer (SPD) told Handelsblatt: ‘It seems as if the AfD is working from a list of tasks drawn up in the Kremlin.’ Similar suspicions are being voiced at the federal level: according to an analysis by Der Spiegel, AfD factions in state parliaments have submitted more than 7,000 security-related inquiries since 2020 — a third of all such inquiries and significantly more than any other party.
AfD representatives categorically reject the accusations. Mulmann himself stated in an interview with Politico: ‘I do not carry out tasks at Russia’s behest. If the answers to my questions pose a danger, then the blame lies with the ministers who disclose the information.’ Party leaders call the suspicions ‘absurd’ and politically motivated.
Experts note that the AfD has long criticised military aid to Ukraine and advocated for normalising relations with Russia. This reinforces suspicions of the party’s pro-Kremlin orientation, which, according to polls, remains one of the most popular in Germany.
The scandal highlights the German authorities’ growing concern about the Russian hybrid threat, including espionage and disinformation.
Earlier in 2025, there were arrests in Germany in cases of direct espionage on behalf of the Russian Federation, but the AfD case is the first where the suspicions concern active politicians. The investigation is ongoing, and no official charges of espionage have been brought yet.