Intelligence gathering by Russian reconnaissance satellites has significantly intensified over German territory, according to a recent parliamentary response to a request from the Green Party faction. The government’s reply, reported by WDR, NDR and the Süddeutsche Zeitung, reveals a concerning escalation in satellite overflights, numbering in the “double digits” daily.
The increase stems from a notable expansion of Russia’s satellite constellation over the past five years. Parliamentary State Secretary Sebastian Hartmann, representing the Defense Ministry, acknowledged this upward trend, stating that the rise in Russian satellites has directly correlated with a corresponding increase in reconnaissance passes over Germany.
However, the government’s transparency appears to be deliberately curtailed. Numerous questions posed by Green Party parliamentarians regarding the specifics of these overflights – including the satellites’ capabilities and the potential impact on German security – were met with a blanket refusal. The rationale provided invokes the need to protect “space systems” and safeguard the operational “capabilities of the Bundeswehr”. Critically, Berlin also rejected requests to classify the information as secret and share it with parliamentarians in a confidential setting.
This decision has drawn immediate criticism, with opposition lawmakers questioning the government’s commitment to parliamentary oversight and transparency concerning national security issues. Concerns are being raised that the refusal to share details, even under conditions of confidentiality, suggests a deliberate attempt to obscure the extent of Russian intelligence gathering activities and potentially limit scrutiny of the Bundeswehr’s capacity to counter them. The decision fuels speculation about the perceived vulnerability of German infrastructure and communications to potential disruption or exploitation by external actors.
