Photo: EPA
A senior German lawmaker has called for expanded powers for the country’s intelligence services to conduct preemptive cyberattacks against Russian drone manufacturers.
Mark Heinrichmann, chairman of the Bundestag’s parliamentary intelligence oversight committee, said the proposed powers could be introduced as part of the ongoing reform of Germany’s intelligence services.
He argued that intelligence gathering alone is no longer sufficient and that Germany must be able to disrupt potential threats before they reach its territory.
“We must allow our services to disable and take out an attack drone in Russia at the factory that produces it, before it is directed against a German airport or threatens people’s lives and health in Germany,” Heinrichmann said.
According to the lawmaker, Germany should combine its cyber, legal and technical capabilities to counter potential attacks and give greater operational freedom to the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
“The best drone for Germany is the one that never manages to take off,” Heinrichmann said.
Meanwhile, Bundeswehr Inspector General General Carsten Breuer said Russia is systematically using drones to conduct reconnaissance of European air-defense systems and identify their vulnerabilities. He also warned that Moscow continues attempts to destabilize European governments and institutions.
