German security services found a concealed weapons cache with two pistols near Berlin last year, and media reports say investigators suspect the firearms were planted on behalf of Russian intelligence. The weapons may have been intended for "kinetic operations," a term for physical attacks or sabotage. The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation, and a suspect was reportedly detained in Romania. The BfV declined to comment as the probe continues.
Secret Weapons Cache Near Berlin Investigated for Links to Russian Intelligence
FILE PHOTO - "Federal Public Prosecutor General at the Federal Court of Justice" is written on a sign at the entrance to the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office building. (is associated with: «Link to Russia probed after secret weapons depot found near Berlin») Christoph Schmidt/dpa
German security services discovered a concealed cache containing two pistols just outside Berlin last year, domestic outlets reported. Investigators told NDR, WDR and the Süddeutsche Zeitung that the firearms may have been placed on behalf of Russian intelligence and could have been intended for so‑called "kinetic operations" — physical attacks or sabotage.
Investigation and Developments
The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office has opened a formal investigation. Authorities say a suspect was detained in Romania last year and may have been involved in setting up the weapons cache. Officers initially rendered the pistols inoperable but left them otherwise intact, and the location was placed under surveillance; that monitoring did not produce arrests, and investigators believe the perpetrators may have learned of the discovery and avoided the site.
Official Response
Germany's domestic intelligence service, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), declined to comment on an ongoing investigation. The agency said:
"This does not constitute a statement as to whether the facts described are accurate or not."
Authorities have not publicly confirmed a direct operational link to any broader plot, and inquiries are continuing to determine motive, chain of custody and whether additional actors were involved. The investigation highlights ongoing concerns in Europe about clandestine weapon caches and the potential for foreign intelligence services to prepare for violent operations on foreign soil.
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