Media: Russia prepared attacks against defense industry leaders in Europe

According to media reports, Russia has been preparing to launch attacks against European defense industry leaders.

According to an investigation by the German newspaper Die Zeit, Russian special services may have planned to assassinate Stefan Thumann, the head of the Bavarian-based defense startup Donaustahl, which supplies reconnaissance drones and kamikaze-type unmanned aerial vehicles to Ukraine.

According to the publication, German special services received a warning from a foreign intelligence agency in December 2025 about the high threat posed to Thumann.

Later, Bavarian police detained a man named Sergey N. while he was filming the area around Thumann’s home in Strasskirchen. Although his phones were confiscated, the suspect was released because the police were unable to analyze the data in time.

Some time later, it became known that Sergey N. was in contact with the Russian special services and was also spying on Tumann's father. By this time, he had left for Spain with his family, and the surveillance was continued by Alla S., a Romanian citizen living in the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

In March 2026, Sergey N. and Alla S. were arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia. However, Die Zeit notes that the arrest warrant issued against them did not include a charge of preparing an assassination. Investigators consider them to be "one-time agents" who were hired for money via the Internet and involved in sabotage and espionage. According to the publication, the possible assassination may have been planned by other individuals.

Stefan Tumann is currently under increased state protection. For security reasons, he does not disclose his whereabouts and does not participate in public events.

Die Zeit writes that another German defense company may also be in the sights of Russian special services. The publication recalls that in early June, a truck with secret locations for explosives was stopped on the Serbian-Hungarian border. Contacts with representatives of the Russian special services were established from the drivers' phones. According to the publication, the truck's route was Bavaria. In addition to Donaustahl, defense startups such as Quantum Systems and Helsing also operate in this region.

The newspaper also recalls that in July 2024, CNN reported that US and German special services had thwarted a planned assassination attempt on the head of the Rheinmetall concern, Armin Papperger. At that time, sources said that the Kremlin was preparing a series of assassination attempts against the leaders of the European defense industry, which provides military assistance to Ukraine.