Allied Intelligence — 2026-08-11

Germany Has Expelled Nearly 400 Russians Including 80 Suspected Intelligence Officers Since 2022

BLUFSustained expulsions have functionally denied Russia its primary intelligence platform in Germany, forcing tradecraft shifts toward illegals and third-country proxies that will stress Western counterintelligence differently.

Germany has expelled roughly 400 Russian nationals since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, including more than 80 diplomats and 313 other citizens deported on other grounds, according to Foreign and Interior Ministry data reported by Bild am Sonntag 123. The Foreign Ministry said most of the expelled diplomats were intelligence officers operating under diplomatic cover, with the most recent diplomatic expulsion occurring in January 2026 12. Ministry officials said Germany "will not tolerate espionage in Germany, especially not under the guise of diplomatic status" 1. Three Russian diplomatic posts remain active in Germany: the Berlin embassy, a consulate in Bonn, and an honorary consulate in Nuremberg 12.

Analysis
The disclosure quantifies a four-year counterintelligence campaign that has systematically stripped Russia's diplomatic missions of cover for espionage, leaving only three functioning posts in Berlin, Bonn, and Nuremberg as legal residencies. Sustained expulsions across multiple German governments since 2022 indicate a durable, non-partisan security posture rather than a one-time response to the invasion. With diplomatic cover increasingly closed off, Russian intelligence services face pressure to shift toward illegals, technical collection, and third-country platforms to maintain access in Germany.

3 sources