‘Best Drone Is One That Never Takes Off’: Germany Mulls Cyberattacks on Russian Drone Makers

Germany is considering giving its intelligence services new powers to launch preemptive cyberattacks against Russian drone manufacturers, amid growing concerns over sabotage, espionage and drone threats, a senior lawmaker said. Marc Henrichmann, chairman of the Bundestag’s Parliamentary Control Committee, said Germany’s intelligence agencies need to move beyond simply gathering information and be able to disrupt threats before they reach German territory.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “We really need to empower our services so that, ideally, they can disable and neutralize the attack drone in Russia, or the factory that manufactures it, before it can target a German airport or endanger the safety and lives of people in Germany,” Henrichmann said in an interview with WELT TV. “The best drone is the one that never takes off,” he added. Henrichmann said the reform should give Germany’s intelligence agencies the operational capabilities needed to “get ahead of the threat,” including potentially disrupting hostile cyber operations. He also argued that Germany needs to pool its intelligence and cyber capabilities more effectively as threats from Russia increase. “Cyberattacks, sabotage and espionage or unauthorized drone overflights are now a reality for which we need to be better prepared,” Henrichmann told the Rheinische Post. The German government is expected to discuss reforms to the laws governing the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution on Wednesday. Other Topics of Interest Austria Uncovers Sanctions-Evasion Scheme Supplying Russian Military Industry A Vienna-based company allegedly delivered equipment to Russia through shell companies in eight countries, including Belarus and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Henrichmann said the reform should bring Germany’s intelligence services to a level of capability already considered standard among European partners. The proposal has won support from some opposition lawmakers. Green Party security expert Konstantin von Notz called the reform long overdue but said stronger parliamentary oversight was also needed. Civil liberties groups, however, have warned that the changes could dramatically expand the powers of German intelligence agencies. The Society for Civil Rights said the draft could allow expanded use of state trojans, AI-powered analysis, access to private surveillance cameras and “hackbacks,” potentially with insufficient legal safeguards. Kai Dittmann of the group called for the draft law to be fundamentally revised, arguing that parts of it could violate Germany’s constitution. Alisa is the Head of News and a correspondent at Kyiv Post, where she leads the newsroom’s coverage of breaking events and global developments. With over seven years of experience in TV journalism, Alisa has reported on international and Ukrainian politics, making complex stories easier to understand. Back in September 2022, Alisa joined the Kyiv Post team.