"White Tiger": How Russia allegedly recruits teenagers for attacks

Shots of burning houses and cars are accompanied by booming beats. In between there are obscure graffiti - such videos are circulating in chat groups in the so-called Com scene.

Its members celebrate violence and destruction: the more blatant the act, the more recognition. The perpetrators are often shockingly young, many are still teenagers.

Western security authorities have been monitoring the chats for some time and are wondering: Could Russian secret services use them to try to recruit young people to cause unrest in the West?

This episode of “Firewall” is about a young German who is said to be behind such acts. He has a connection to Russia. His lawyer Sandra Jung does not want to comment on the specific allegations against the 19-year-old until the investigation has been completed.

Nevertheless, the authorities are pursuing a hypothesis: Is there actually a connection to the Russian secret service? What speaks for it and what makes us doubt. This is what you hear here:

About this podcast

When systems fail, everyone wants to know: How was that possible? That’s what “Firewall” is all about.

For example, we tell you how scam farms rip off their victims and make billions in business. Why Russian intelligence services were apparently able to recruit a BND agent. Or why Wirecard fraudster Jan Marsalek was able to escape the German security authorities.

Together with SPIEGEL reporters, host Sandra Sperber looks for vulnerabilities in systems and finds those who exploit them.