Germany's foreign intelligence chief warned Friday that Russia is planning to target high-stakes regional elections this year with "hybrid" attacks, and called for Berlin to consider "counter-measures" against the growing threat. Berlin, a key backer of Ukraine in its war against Moscow, says it has faced a growing number of Russian sabotage plots and cyberattacks, and accused Moscow of spreading disinformation before general elections last year. His comments come after recent reports said that Berlin is considering overhauling laws to expand the powers of the BND. The BND would also be handed extra powers for intelligence gathering, including the use of facial recognition software. The government previously declined to comment on specifics, saying only that they planned to make changes to laws governing espionage.

Source: The Local February 14, 2026 14:31 UTC