German intelligence foils Russian plot to kill drone company CEO

According to the newspaper "Die Zeit", Russian intelligence services planned to kill Stefan Tuman, head of the German drone manufacturing company "Donaustahl". The attack was prevented thanks to a rapid response by German security services and warnings from allies.

In spring, police in Spain and Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia arrested two suspects: Ukrainian Serhij N. and Romanian Alla S. Between December 2025 and March 2026, they reportedly watched Tuman at his home, photographed and filmed his house and the company's headquarters, and gathered information online.

German authorities received information about the threat in December 2025 from foreign partners. Shortly afterwards, Bavarian security officers detained Serhij N., seized his mobile phones and copied a large volume of data. Because there was not enough time to analyse the phones during the arrest, he was released.

Subsequent data analysis indicated that Serhij N. had apparently been in contact with Russian intelligence. Investigators also learned of alleged attempts in Sternberg, Bavaria, to spy on Tuman's father in order to locate his son. By that time, Serhij N. had already fled with his family to Spain.

Meanwhile, Alla S. continued to monitor Tuman in Germany. Investigators considered her an amateur rather than a professional agent. In March, security forces detained Serhij N. in Spain and Alla S. in North Rhine-Westphalia. The prosecutor general accused the two of acting as foreign intelligence agents.