Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), which functions as domestic counterintelligence, has officially confirmed that it interrogates Russian citizens at Berlin's airport. The agency reported this to the outlet 'Important Stories' and Deutsche Welle. The BfV emphasized that the threat situation in Germany 'is described in considerable detail and remains highly dynamic,' which is why the agency 'continuously adapts its measures to the persistently high degree of threat.' According to counterintelligence representatives, various measures are carried out within the framework of 'legal powers and competencies,' which 'include questioning individuals.'
'High Threat Level' as Official Justification
The BfV statement emphasizes that passenger interviews are part of the agency's legal toolkit. Counterintelligence does not disclose details of specific procedures, limiting itself to pointing out the 'persistently high degree of threat' as the basis for constantly adjusting measures. Thus, the agency legitimizes the practice of checking Russians at Berlin Airport by tying it to the overall assessment of the situation in the country, which it characterizes as dynamic and requiring constant response.
How Interrogations Are Conducted: Independent Sources' Data
In early November, the publication 'Kholod' reported that since September, Russian citizens at Berlin Airport began being invited to 'voluntary' conversations during which they are asked about the situation in Russia, mobilization, and rising prices. According to the source, airport staff invited Russians to conversations after passport control and led them into separate rooms. At the same time, Russians were informed that these 'interviews' were voluntary either during the conversation or after it. This sequence essentially blurs the line between a voluntary chat and a formalized interview, which the agency describes as its lawful measure.
Recruitment Attempt and Schengen Entry Ban
Politician and former political prisoner Andrei Pivovarov stated that after one such conversation at Berlin Airport, a Russian woman who arrived on a tourist visa was offered to sign a cooperation agreement with German intelligence. According to him, she refused, after which she was banned from entering the Schengen area. The 'Important Stories' outlet sent a request to the Federal Intelligence Service of Germany (BND) asking the agency to comment on information about the recruitment attempt on one of the stopped Russian women and the subsequent entry ban. The BND declined to comment, noting that it reports 'on relevant matters' to the government and competent bodies of the Bundestag.
Context: Tightened Control After the Leipzig Incident
The practice of questioning Russians at Berlin Airport fits into a broader course of tightening controls on the entry of Russian citizens. In September, German authorities announced plans to tighten controls after reporting an attempted sabotage against a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig Airport. Berlin blamed Moscow for this, while the Russian side denies the accusations. Against this backdrop, the BfV statements regarding the 'persistently high degree of threat' and confirmation of interrogations at Berlin Airport look like part of a systematic, rather than a one-off, measure.
