Russian drones are increasingly appearing over German military bases and the routes of arms transports to Ukraine. The media report systematic espionage. Germany is said to be inadequately prepared for the resulting dangers. In an interview with ZDFheute live, security and intelligence expert Hans-Jakob Schindler explains how Russia operates and what weaknesses German authorities have. Russia's espionage is about assessing and gradually destroying the fighting power of its opponents. The aim is "also to undermine cohesion within an opposing society, in this case Germany". To achieve this, Moscow relies on "misinformation and disinformation, propaganda, but also by spreading fear", explains Schindler.

A high-ranking Ukrainian intelligence officer is assassinated in broad daylight—five shots, close range, in the middle of Kyiv. Within hours, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) launches a manhunt. Days later, they kill two suspects tied not only to Russia’s FSB but also to a U.S.-founded extremist group now operating from inside Russia.

In this episode, Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, Sr. Director at the Counter Extremism Project, navigates us through the shadow war playing out across Eastern Europe, where the lines between war, terrorism, espionage, and state power are blurring.

"“There are two scenarios,” says Alexander Ritzmann, head of the Counter Extremism Project’s office on far-right violence and terrorism, speaking to iMEdD about the RVC’s ties with the Ukrainian government. “Either the Ukrainian government is utilising the actions of these groups as a form of psychological and communication warfare against Putin and Russia – suggesting that a Russian group is invading Russia to free Russians from Putin. Alternatively, Kapustin, who has been living in Ukraine for many years, may have managed to establish personal connections that allow him, unofficially, access to weapons and equipment.”"

"Joshua Fisher-Birch, an analyst of the extreme right for the Counter Extremism Project, has kept tabs on rightwing extremists and their fascination with Ukraine.

'Chatter among the American online extreme right regarding travel to Ukraine to fight against the Russian invasion has decreased in the last year,' he said, pointing out that in some cases talk about venturing to the war was 'either never serious' or a blatant 'attempt to raise money through crowdfunding, or was abandoned due to the brutal reality of the conflict or no longer seeing a goal for the American movement'."