Germany’s cybersecurity chief is facing sacking over alleged links to Russian intelligence services, government sources told AFP on Monday amid heightened vigilance over possible sabotage activities by Moscow.
In a recent investigation by the broadcaster ZDF, Arne Schönbohm, head of the Federal Office for Cyber ??Security (BSI), was accused of having contacts with Russia through an association he co-founded in 2012.
The Home Office said it was “taking the reported facts seriously and investigating them fully” and was reviewing “all options for how to deal with the situation.”
The Handelsblatt reported that there was “great anger” in the government about the allegations.
A planned joint appearance by Schönbohm and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser to present a report on German cybersecurity in 2022 has been canceled as the ministry attempts to clear up the allegations.
Faeser said on Monday that her ministry was examining “all the necessary steps that might be required” with regard to Schönbohm.
Germany is “vulnerable” to cyber attacks, “particularly due to the threat posed by Russia’s war, and we must do everything we can to deal with this threat,” she said.
The association Cyber ????Security Council Germany, which is at the center of the allegations, advises companies, authorities and politics on cyber security issues.
According to the popular satirical show on ZDF, which published the story, Schönbohm is still in touch with the organization.
The latter denied the allegations, saying in a statement on its website on Monday that the allegations were “absurd”.
Sebastian Fiedler, Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s SPD politician, said the allegations “must be investigated very thoroughly” and have already caused “a great deal of damage to the confidence of the BSI”.
– “Increased Vigilance” –
Germany has repeatedly accused Russia of attempting cyber espionage in recent years.
The most high-profile incident blamed on Russian hackers to date was a 2015 cyberattack that crippled the computer network of the Lower House of the German Bundestag, leaving the entire institution offline for days while it was being repaired.
Russia denies standing behind such an action.
Tensions between Russia and Germany have escalated since Moscow invaded Ukraine.
The BSI warns that companies, individuals and critical infrastructures are at risk of being hit by Russian cyber attacks.
Just two days ago, the rail network in the north of the country was temporarily paralyzed by a so-called “sabotage” by Deutsche Bahn, with some officials pointing the finger at Russia.
Important communication cables were severed in two places, causing rail traffic to be interrupted for three hours and creating travel chaos for thousands of passengers.
Transport Minister Volker Wissing said on Monday that the period since the Russian invasion of Ukraine had been characterized by “increased vigilance” for Germany because “the infrastructure was attacked by many perpetrators”.
“Since we don’t know the perpetrators, we can’t rule out anything at the moment,” he said about the standstill.
Russia is also suspected of being behind explosions last month that triggered leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, which connect Russia to Germany.
The pipelines have long been at the center of geopolitical tensions after Russia halted gas supplies to Europe in alleged retaliation to Western sanctions over Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Anton Hofreiter, MP for the Green Party and chair of the German Bundestag’s Europe Committee, said that since the Nord Stream leaks “pointed to the Kremlin… we cannot rule out that Russia could also be behind the rail attack”.
