Andrey Pivovarov, coordinator of the Anti-War Committee Consuls, informed Novaya Gazeta Europe about an incident where the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) asked a Russian citizen arriving at Berlin Airport to sign a cooperation agreement. According to him, the incident occurred after passport control: the activist was called in for an interview with German intelligence representatives, where she was questioned, including about individuals she might suspect of having ties to Russian special services. At the end of the meeting, she was asked to sign a cooperation document, but the Russian woman refused.
Entry ban to the Schengen Area
Immediately after refusing to sign the agreement, according to Pivovarov, the activist was denied entry to the Schengen Area. The official justification was that she "poses a threat to Germany's national security." The Consuls coordinator did not disclose the woman's name or the exact date of the interrogation, citing security concerns. This makes independent verification of the specific episode difficult, although the very fact of contacting Novaya Gazeta Europe and the detail of the procedure description point to the reality of the event.
"Voluntary interviews" as a systemic practice
The recruitment attempt case is not an isolated one. As reported earlier by media outlets Kholod and Vazhnye Istorii, citing testimony from passengers and their relatives, Russian citizens at Berlin Airport have begun to be invited to so-called "voluntary interviews" regarding the situation in the Russian Federation, relatives, and possible connections to military structures. One interviewee said she only found out about the voluntary nature of the conversation after it had started. Another passenger was told about the terms in advance and refused to talk to the intelligence representatives. None of the interviewees reported recruitment attempts in these conversations, but the format and the content of the questions, they say, went beyond standard border control.
Official stance of the airport and police
Berlin Airport stated to Novaya Gazeta Europe that they do not conduct interviews with Russians and recommended that journalists contact the police. As of the time of publication, the Ministry of Internal Affairs had not responded to the publication's request. Thus, no official structure has publicly confirmed or denied the fact of intelligence interviews being held at the airport. Which specific agency—the BND, the Federal Border Guard, or another body—is conducting these surveys remains unknown.
Context: tighter control over Russians in Germany
The described practice fits into a broader context of German security services paying closer attention to Russian citizens arriving in the country. Since the start of the full-scale conflict in Ukraine, Germany has significantly expanded the powers of intelligence and border authorities regarding Russian citizens, including the right to conduct additional interviews and restrict entry. Nevertheless, public reports of direct recruitment attempts at the airport had not been documented previously, making this case a precedent in terms of media visibility.
