--- title: "German Counterintelligence Confirms Interrogations of Russians at Berlin Airport Amid 'High Threat Level'" description: "German counterintelligence has confirmed that it interrogates Russian citizens at Berlin Airport, citing a high threat level. Independent sources report 'voluntary' conversations and a recruitment attempt." date: 2026-11-13T19:01:09.495Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/german-counterintelligence-confirms-interrogations-berlin-airport tags: [germany, counterintelligence, berlin-airport, russia, bnd, bfv] author: "Andrey Kosynko, Marina Slivenko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # German Counterintelligence Confirms Interrogations of Russians at Berlin Airport Amid 'High Threat Level' ![neon purple radar on dark background symbolizing security and threats](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/13/kontrrazvedka-germanii-doprashivaet-rossiyan-v-aeroportu-berlina/kontrrazvedka-germanii-doprashivaet-rossiyan-v-aeroportu-berlina-1.webp) ## Key Points - BfV confirmed to 'Important Stories' and DW that it interrogates Russians at Berlin Airport - The agency explains the measures by a 'persistently high degree of threat' and legal powers - According to 'Kholod', since September Russians have been invited to 'voluntary' conversations after passport control - Pivovarov reported a recruitment attempt on a Russian woman and a subsequent Schengen entry ban; BND declined to comment 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. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [В контрразведке Германии подтвердили, что допрашивают россиян в аэропорту Берлина. Это объяснили «высоким уровнем угроз»](https://meduza.io/news/2026/11/13/v-kontrrazvedke-germanii-podtverdili-chto-doprashivayut-rossiyan-v-aeroportu-berlina-eto-ob-yasnili-vysokim-urovnem-ugroz) - Primary source: BfV confirmation of interrogations of Russians at Berlin Airport, quotes on threat levels and legal powers, BND refusal to comment, 'Kholod' data on 'voluntary' talks, Pivovarov's statement on recruitment and the context of the Leipzig incident. ## FAQ ### Did German counterintelligence confirm interrogations of Russians at Berlin Airport? Yes. The BfV informed 'Important Stories' and Deutsche Welle that it conducts individual questioning within its legal powers, citing a 'persistently high degree of threat'. ### What did the BND say about the recruitment attempt and the Schengen entry ban? The BND declined to comment, stating that it reports on relevant matters to the government and competent Bundestag bodies. ### How, according to 'Kholod', do conversations with Russians take place at the airport? Since September, Russians are invited after passport control to separate rooms for 'voluntary' talks about the situation in Russia, mobilization, and prices; they are informed of the voluntary nature during or after the talk.