“Russia is even targeting the lives of executives of European private defense companies.”

The British daily Financial Times (FT) reported on the 11th (local time) that Western intelligence agencies have warned that Russia is stepping up assassination attempts on executives of European private defense companies.

Assassination of European civilians was once a taboo idea even for Russian intelligence agencies, but it is now increasingly part of hybrid attack plans against Europe, European intelligence officials say.

According to these officials, senior executives not only at large defense companies but also at smaller companies that make drones or drone parts are being targeted by Kremlin operatives.

“The threat level is rising in Europe,” one senior intelligence official said, “not just to property but also to people.”

An official from Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), said that the BfV has recently strengthened its contacts with German defense industry executives and is recommending the use of civilian close security teams.

According to intelligence sources, the Russian military's General Reconnaissance Service (GRU) is primarily behind the threat, which is increasingly aligning itself with criminal organizations and using agents who cross borders. It is said that there have been cases where already active conspiracies were discovered and thwarted.

BfV Commissioner Sinan Selen also expressed concern in the German parliament on the 5th, saying, “Defense companies and military infrastructure are becoming targets of attacks,” and “(Russia) is already taking the risk of potential civilian casualties.”

“We observe that these activities are moving forward in terms of targets, methods, and the use of actors involved, particularly criminal organizations,” said Commissioner Selen.

Security officials also pointed out that Russia likely believed that the assassination plan would be effective even if it was not carried out.

“From a Russian perspective, the main goal is psychological,” said one official. “Just making them feel like they could be a target will have the effect of making them reconsider before doing business with Ukraine.”

Security experts also said they were increasingly receiving inquiries from critical infrastructure sectors and defense companies about protecting their European employees.

The vigilance of European defense industry executives has also increased since the U.S. and German intelligence agencies discovered a Russian plot against Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall, Germany's largest defense company, in early 2024. It is reported that CEO Paperger is currently receiving close joint security from private security teams and police.