In brief
A cache of handguns and ammunition found in a forest near Berlin last year has spurred a national investigation. Police suspect the weapons were intended for lethal attacks, potentially linked to Russian intelligence. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said foreign involvement cannot be ruled out and highlighted ongoing probes of suspects abroad. The case follows earlier claims of Russian plots to kill German defence officials and reminds authorities of past espionage activities. Germany’s security agencies emphasize a heightened threat level as they pursue this shadowy threat.
Berlin’s Hidden Guns: Germany Tracks Possible Russian‑Assassination Plot
German police discovered two handguns and ammunition buried in a forest near Berlin last November. While it was called a “weapon cache,” the Interior Ministry says there’s reason to suspect it was meant for lethal attacks.
One theory is that Moscow’s intelligence services had a hand in it—aiming to supply weapons for targeted killings against German critics or defence officials.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said investigators are chasing a suspect in Romania, who may later be extradited for “parcel bomb attacks.” He also noted that a few other foreign operatives have been detained this year.
The investigation comes after last year’s CNN report that Russia had plotted to kill the head of Germany’s biggest arms company, and after the 2021 case of a Russian national jailed for a Berlin park murder.
In a statement, Dobrindt said the case shows how “high the threat level” is for Germany now.
