On 6 October 2026, German investigators in the Bavarian town of Bad Tölz arrested 80-year-old August Hanning, the man who headed Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) from December 1998 to November 2005 and who, until 2009, served as State Secretary in the Ministry of the Interior. At the same time...
Former BND chief arrested on suspicion of espionage
Germany’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office said that on Tuesday, on warrants issued by an investigating judge of the Federal Court of Justice, agents arrested August Hanning, the former president of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), and Manfred D., his former chief of staff. Both are suspected of passing on and using...
Couple detained in Latvia on suspicion of spying for Russian military intelligence
Latvia’s State Security Service (VDD), together with the Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIDD), has detained two Latvian citizens — a man and a woman — on suspicion of gathering information about the country’s defence sector on behalf of Russian military intelligence. The VDD announced this on 1 October. Criminal...
Hungary and Slovakia became a convenient platform for Russian intelligence inside NATO
Hungary and Slovakia are of significant interest to the Kremlin because of their EU and NATO membership. The long tenure of political forces that built close ties with Moscow created favorable conditions for expanding Russian influence. Through loyal political elites, economic links, information platforms and agent networks, the Kremlin gained...