The draft bill seen by a news outlet indicates that Germany’s Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) may soon receive additional powers to protect itself from perceived enemies, particularly Russia. The expansion of MAD’s powers would allow the agency to enhance its intelligence capabilities outside German military bases during foreign missions, intercept communications, and use informants to monitor both its own soldiers and foreign nationals.
The German Defense Ministry aims to strengthen MAD in response to the political situation in Europe and the perceived threat from Russia. By the end of 2027, a war-ready brigade of nearly 5,000 troops is expected to be stationed near the borders with Belarus and Russia, prompting the urgent need for the new law to take effect this year. The ministry spokesperson highlighted that the current legal framework limits MAD’s ability to counter Russian infiltration attempts.
Russia has criticized Germany’s plans, viewing them as a threat that could escalate tensions. Despite this, Russia maintains that it poses no threat to NATO states and has no intention of attacking European nations, with President Vladimir Putin dismissing such claims as “bulls**t” peddled by Western officials.