**The domestic intelligence service is said to be investigating 2 officials who work on energy supply.**
BERLIN — Two senior officials at Germany’s economy ministry are being investigated over allegations of spying for Russia, newspaper Die Zeit reported on Wednesday.
According to the article, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany’s domestic intelligence service, is looking into the case of two civil servants “who are involved with energy supply in key positions” and might be Kremlin moles.
If confirmed, the case would represent a spectacular security breach at a highly sensitive time for Germany and for Europe. The economy ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The powerful ministry is under the leadership of Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck, who also serves as Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s deputy. It is playing a key role in preparing Germany to cope with an energy crisis as Russian President Vladimir Putin cuts gas deliveries in response to Western sanctions over his invasion of Ukraine.
One of the most sensitive questions that faced German officials was whether to go ahead with Nord Stream 2, a planned gas pipeline from Russia.
For years, Germany’s governments have defended the Nord Stream 2 project as “merely commercial.” The pipeline project was halted after the invasion of Ukraine but Die Zeit reported that security concerns were raised over the content of internal documents relating to Nord Stream 2.
Earlier this year, Habeck’s advisers turned to the BfV for assistance over “inconsistencies in the internal papers on Nord Stream 2 and the filling level of the gas storage facilities, as well as in the report on Germany’s security of supply,” Die Zeit reported.
>If confirmed, the case would represent a spectacular security breach at a highly sensitive time for Germany
It wouldn’t really surprise me though. This comes after three decades of Russia friendly politics and appeasement by Germany. Don’t forget how former chancellor Schröder has publicly been on Russian payroll since stepping down. That is just the tip of the iceberg.
One can assume that this is not a highly complicated spying operation, but rather people openly sympathetic to Russian interests being pushed into these positions because it was in line with German policy. They may have then shared sensitive information with Russia.
I take it this may shift our stance on Russian tourist visas.
Maybe they worked with Trump
>But at the economy ministry, “many documents … were full of understanding for the Russian point of view, and it was striking that the argumentation often did not fit the official line of the German government,” Wednesday’s newspaper report said.
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>Upon investigating the suspects, their backgrounds and travel histories, the BfV found “biographical anomalies, in one case a study visit to Russia” and internally there was talk of an “emotional closeness to Russia,” it continued. Such closeness alone could not be counted as damning evidence given many among Berlin’s political elite have long sustained cordial ties to the Kremlin, the report said.
Insane, how German politicians find Russia a reliable, trustworthy better political partner.
To consistently choose Russia over Eastern Europe is a tragedy.
Wasn’t Schröder the main Russian spy, though?
Well this explains the pro russian stance that Germany always had and I am sure there are many more spy deeply infiltrated all over the countrys that are apologetic to Russia and always taking the russian side.
I guess German secret services are sleeping or in bed with Russia themselves? Germany’s allies should seriously start holding it accountable for this mess.
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**The domestic intelligence service is said to be investigating 2 officials who work on energy supply.**
BERLIN — Two senior officials at Germany’s economy ministry are being investigated over allegations of spying for Russia, newspaper Die Zeit reported on Wednesday.
According to the article, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany’s domestic intelligence service, is looking into the case of two civil servants “who are involved with energy supply in key positions” and might be Kremlin moles.
If confirmed, the case would represent a spectacular security breach at a highly sensitive time for Germany and for Europe. The economy ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The powerful ministry is under the leadership of Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck, who also serves as Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s deputy. It is playing a key role in preparing Germany to cope with an energy crisis as Russian President Vladimir Putin cuts gas deliveries in response to Western sanctions over his invasion of Ukraine.
One of the most sensitive questions that faced German officials was whether to go ahead with Nord Stream 2, a planned gas pipeline from Russia.
For years, Germany’s governments have defended the Nord Stream 2 project as “merely commercial.” The pipeline project was halted after the invasion of Ukraine but Die Zeit reported that security concerns were raised over the content of internal documents relating to Nord Stream 2.
Earlier this year, Habeck’s advisers turned to the BfV for assistance over “inconsistencies in the internal papers on Nord Stream 2 and the filling level of the gas storage facilities, as well as in the report on Germany’s security of supply,” Die Zeit reported.
>If confirmed, the case would represent a spectacular security breach at a highly sensitive time for Germany
It wouldn’t really surprise me though. This comes after three decades of Russia friendly politics and appeasement by Germany. Don’t forget how former chancellor Schröder has publicly been on Russian payroll since stepping down. That is just the tip of the iceberg.
One can assume that this is not a highly complicated spying operation, but rather people openly sympathetic to Russian interests being pushed into these positions because it was in line with German policy. They may have then shared sensitive information with Russia.
I take it this may shift our stance on Russian tourist visas.
Maybe they worked with Trump
>But at the economy ministry, “many documents … were full of understanding for the Russian point of view, and it was striking that the argumentation often did not fit the official line of the German government,” Wednesday’s newspaper report said.
>
>Upon investigating the suspects, their backgrounds and travel histories, the BfV found “biographical anomalies, in one case a study visit to Russia” and internally there was talk of an “emotional closeness to Russia,” it continued. Such closeness alone could not be counted as damning evidence given many among Berlin’s political elite have long sustained cordial ties to the Kremlin, the report said.
Insane, how German politicians find Russia a reliable, trustworthy better political partner.
To consistently choose Russia over Eastern Europe is a tragedy.
Wasn’t Schröder the main Russian spy, though?
Well this explains the pro russian stance that Germany always had and I am sure there are many more spy deeply infiltrated all over the countrys that are apologetic to Russia and always taking the russian side.
I guess German secret services are sleeping or in bed with Russia themselves? Germany’s allies should seriously start holding it accountable for this mess.