Spiegel: Russia can go on political assassinations in Germany

German intelligence is considering scenarios in which the Russian authorities may decide to carry out political assassinations in Germany.

The heads of Germany's two biggest intelligence services have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of de facto attacking the entire West by attacking Ukraine, Spiegel reports.

The head of the Federal Intelligence Service, Bruno Kahl, said that Putin's actions are "a declaration of war on the entire free democratic world".

Thomas Haldenwang, head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, added that the Russian attack on Ukraine was a "game-changer" in all areas of security-related politics. It also has a direct impact on Germany's internal security.

In April, the federal government reportedly expelled 40 Russian spies from the country. But Haldenwang believes that this is not all of them.

Spiegel notes that the ban threshold for Russian intelligence operations in Germany has fallen. Thus, it is reported that the Office for the Protection of the Constitution considered scenarios in which political assassinations are possible in Germany.

So, in 2019, the murder of a Georgian exile in Berlin caused a stir. It is noted that the research of the publication, as well as Bellingcat and The Insider, has consistently proved that the crime was ordered by the Russian internal secret service.