June, so far, is an eventful month for the intelligence community in Germany, as a crackdown on spies has led to many arrests. These individuals, both foreign and domestic, allegedly work for Russia and China in pursuit of goals that present a threat to Germany’s reputation on the world stage.
The damage done to Austria’s intelligence service may have played into the German decision to execute arrests, as eerie similarities arise between the two cases. Reports suggest that this crackdown is linked to two EU election candidates from Germany’s far-right party, “Alternative for Germany (AfD)”. It’s fair to say that this is Germany’s response to hostile state actors meddling in its affairs.
German arrests linked to Far Right
Authorities in Germany arrested an aide to a leading AfD candidate, Maximilian Krah, on suspicion of spying for China. The AfD’s second name, Petr Bystron, denied allegations of receiving cash from a website believed to be operated by Russian intelligence services.
At a broader level, the intelligence community in the West now estimates the level of Russian espionage and subversive activity in Europe to be at cold war levels. These crackdowns by Germany send a clear political as much as a security message to all involved.
On the foot of the EU elections, where digital subversion was noted across EU nation states, many find the timing of these arrests interesting for a host of reasons. Some note that Germany’s actions break with an apparent false narrative in the Kremlin, where weakness in western nations stems from false beliefs in democracy and individual freedoms.
Russia’s President Putin has been posturing on tactical nuclear strikes for some time. He cites NATO countries replenishing of Ukraine’s military supply needs as a trigger for a nuclear response by Russia. I sigh when I see the packaging of such disinformation, as it’s delivered for western consumption.
From Terror to Valor: Echoes and Shadows, available on pre-order for September 11th release.
The design of this strategy is fear based, leaving only a nuclear wasteland of disinformation in its wake. President Putin has been called out with resonating accuracy by many on social media. To me, this strategy equates to the schoolyard bully trying to call out the little kids as they gang together under threat from their common tormentor.
Russia’s nuclear threat is not an option
The Telegraph in the UK ran with an article on June 14th, which makes valid points on why we in the West should not fear Russia’s nuclear arsenal, or a tactical nuclear response in Ukraine. In a dramatic twist of fate, the article cites Ukraine’s ability to strike military targets inside Russia up to 400 kilometers, as the very reason Russia will not respond with tactical nuclear weapons.
I broadly agree with this sentiment, as President Putin and his inner circle are not foolish enough to carry out such threats. As Jack Debaut struggled with misdirection in my debut novel, From Terror to Valor: Echoes and Shadows; we, in the West, have struggled with disinformation by Russia as a novel form of warfare.
Like the many layers of my debut novel; the many layers of activity in the actual intelligence world lend itself to specific objectives. Hostile nation states, in particular, have used this approach in the modernization and weaponization of their innovations. It comes, therefore, as no surprise that western intelligence agencies are front and center as targets for, and stalwarts against, free-world adversaries.
Democracy and the way forward
Despite all we have achieved since the Berlin wall came down, our own success has placed us in peril as our adversaries change up tactics, strategies and approaches. This is not to be feared, as we concede the field by doing so. We need to understand the rules of this new era, and respond in a way that is guided by old and proven wisdom.
Some years ago, I remember a wonderful conversation with a retired truck driver and his wife. We discussed current affairs and politics, which are often so closely related. He considered how things are, and where they may go, before pausing in thought. He concluded, “Doing the right thing is important, but you also need to be practical!”
That practicality and insight is as true today as it was back then. When an adversary wants to turn our world upside down, doing the right thing becomes a guiding light. It enables us to commit to a story worth remembering, as we strive to be practical by understanding before responding to new methods of confrontation.
About the Author
John is a versatile author known for his gripping fiction narratives in the thriller, action, and suspense genres. With a background as a journalist since 2016, and expertise in cloud technologies as an engineer; John brings a unique blend of storytelling prowess and technical acumen to his work.
