Germany is seeking to extradite a suspect from Romania after a hidden stash of weapons was found in a forest near Berlin. German media have linked the discovery to Russian intelligence.
Two weeks after authorities found a drone carrying explosives at Leipzig airport, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt confirmed that federal prosecutors had opened an investigation into the secret gun cache. The probe is based on “suspicion of preparing a serious act of violence that threatens national security.”
“This case shows that we are operating under a high threat level,” he told reporters. Like the Leipzig incident, Dobrindt said he could not rule out the involvement of “foreign powers.”
Earlier, local media reported that German authorities had found two handguns and ammunition about a year ago in a wooded area outside Berlin, after domestic intelligence agents received a tip.
According to separate reports from Der Spiegel magazine and an investigative team led by the Süddeutsche newspaper, the find has been the focus of secret investigations by state security and counterespionage services. They suspect Russian intelligence was planning assassinations on German soil.
Dobrindt said that instead of removing the weapons, German authorities left them in place after making them unusable, hoping they would provide clues during a months-long electronic surveillance operation. No one was seen trying to collect the weapons, leading investigators to believe the agent or agents had learned the cache was discovered and it was now “dead.”
Dobrindt described the suspect in Romania, whose nationality was not disclosed, as a “low-level agent” and noted that several other such operatives had been detained so far this year.
Although the investigation into the Berlin stash has been ongoing for a long time, the revelations apparently led Dobrindt to hastily call the news conference on Friday.
Sinan Selen, head of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, has warned for months about more aggressive tactics from Russian secret services, including plans for targeted attacks in Germany.
According to the report by Süddeutsche and public broadcasters NDR and WDR, Moscow’s potential targets are believed to include weapons contractor executives, exiled opposition figures, and other prominent supporters of Ukraine.
The federal prosecutor’s office and the Russian embassy declined to comment. A BfV spokesperson said, “As a matter of principle, we don’t comment on matters relating to any specific intelligence activities.”
Spiegel said German authorities were looking into possible links between the arms cache—a common Soviet tactic during the Cold War—and a sabotage campaign against Ukrainian logistics routes blamed on Russia.
Last year, Polish security officials arrested several people who were allegedly planning to mail parcels containing incendiary devices or detonators. Some of these were reportedly to be posted from Romania. Investigators believe the packages could have been remotely ignited or set off with timers during transit, causing serious damage to vehicles, cargo planes, or logistics centers and spreading fear in the EU.
In 2024, a firebomb in a parcel sent via DHL exploded in a freight container on the tarmac at Leipzig airport. Only a delayed flight kept it from going off in the air.
Ukraine has been using the Leipzig facility as an alternate location for transporting military goods since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, according to official records.
Earlier this month, German newspaper Die Zeit reported that Russian secret services were planning an attack on Stefan Thumann, head of German drone manufacturer Donaustahl. The report said German investigators were tipped off by a foreign intelligence service at the end of last year and arrested a Ukrainian man and a Romanian woman this spring. Thumann is said to be under police protection.
The case recalled reports from 2024 that US intelligence services had foiled a Russian plot tA plot to assassinate the head of Germany’s largest arms manufacturer was uncovered, seemingly as revenge for the company’s role in supplying weapons to Ukraine. The plan targeted Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall, and was reportedly one of several Russian government schemes to kill defense industry leaders across Europe—countries that have been backing Ukraine in the war. The plot against Papperger was thought to be the most developed. Russia has consistently denied any involvement in sabotage, disruption, or intimidation against EU member states.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs regarding the reported discovery of a weapons cache in a German forest and its alleged connection to Russia
General Background Questions
1 What exactly happened in the German forest
Forest workers or hikers stumbled upon a hidden stash of weapons and ammunition in a wooded area The cache included items like handguns rifles and a significant amount of ammunition German authorities were alerted and secured the site
2 Where in Germany did this happen
The discovery was made in the state of North RhineWestphalia near the city of Hagen Its in the western part of the country
3 Why do authorities think this is connected to Russia
Investigators have stated that the style of the cache the type of weapons and the way they were stored are consistent with sabotage or staybehind operations They believe it was likely prepared for potential acts of sabotage or espionage which points to statesponsored activity and the main suspect is Russia
4 Is this an isolated incident or has this happened before
Its part of a broader worrying pattern In recent years German and other European intelligence agencies have reported an increase in Russian espionage and preparation for sabotage particularly targeting infrastructure like railways power grids and water supplies This cache is seen as physical evidence of those preparations
The Weapons Investigation
5 What kind of weapons were found
The cache reportedly included a mix of militarystyle firearms such as a machine gun pistols and a sniper rifle along with hundreds of rounds of ammunition They were wellmaintained and ready for use
6 How long had the weapons been hidden there
Investigators are still trying to determine the exact timeline but based on the condition and the type of equipment they believe it may have been there for several months possibly up to a year before being found
7 Has anyone been arrested
As of now no arrests have been made directly in connection with this specific cache However German authorities have opened a formal investigation with the Federal Prosecutors Office which handles cases of suspected terrorism and state security threats They are actively looking for leads
