A concerning escalation in Russian surveillance activity over Germany has been revealed in a recent parliamentary response to a query from the Green Party’s Bundestag faction. According to the response, Russian reconnaissance satellites are traversing German airspace multiple times daily, a frequency described as a “double-digit number” of overflights.
The surge in satellite activity, detailed in a government reply obtained by WDR, NDR and the Süddeutsche Zeitung, has been attributed by Parliamentary Secretary of State Sebastian Hartmann (SPD) to a marked increase in the number of Russian reconnaissance satellites deployed in recent years. Hartmann’s statement underscores a tangible intensification of Russian intelligence gathering capabilities directed towards Germany.
However, the government’s transparency has been sharply curtailed. In a move drawing criticism from opposition voices, Berlin has refused to provide answers to several key questions posed by the Green Party parliamentarians. The official reasoning cites the need to protect both German “space systems” and the “capabilities of the Bundeswehr” maintaining that disclosing further information would compromise national security. Notably, even the classification of these details as a confidential document for parliamentary review has been denied.
This decision has fueled speculation regarding the extent of the details being withheld. Critics argue that the government’s blanket refusal constitutes a deliberate attempt to obscure the full scope of the Russian surveillance operation and to prevent meaningful parliamentary oversight. Concerns are being raised about the implications for German data security, critical infrastructure and the potential for intelligence exploitation. The lack of transparency is prompting demands for a more comprehensive public discussion about the increasing threat posed by Russian intelligence assets in space and the inadequacy of current methods for mitigating this risk.