European defense companies are stepping up measures to protect their senior executives, following warnings from intelligence services that Russia is intensifying efforts to target people who run companies engaged in military support for Ukraine.
According to the Financial Times, officials from five European intelligence agencies have warned that Russian operatives are increasingly targeting executives and other key people at defense companies. These developments are linked to the expansion of Moscow’s alleged sabotage and hybrid operations in Europe. The risk is not limited to large arms manufacturers, but also includes smaller companies that produce drones and military components.
The German domestic intelligence service, BfV, has intensified contacts with executives and employees of defense companies, recommending additional security measures, including in certain cases the engagement of private close protection teams.
BfV director Sinan Selen told German lawmakers that Russia is deliberately planning acts of violence against individuals, through state actors or persons acting under the control of the Russian state. According to him, the methods and objectives of these operations are changing, while organized crime networks are increasingly involved.
Over the past six months, executives at several companies have stepped up their personal protection following advice from security authorities. The measures are particularly effective when traveling abroad, but some companies have also extended protection to their executives' daily lives.
According to intelligence officials, Russia's Military Intelligence Service, the GRU, is suspected of playing a significant role in these operations, which, according to sources, are cooperating with networks of agents and organized crime groups. The operations involve coordinated activities, from surveillance and logistics to planning and execution.
Officials say some plans have been discovered and thwarted, while in other cases suspicious surveillance has been observed near the homes and workplaces of targeted individuals. According to their assessments, the aim is also psychological, creating a sense of insecurity that could push companies to limit cooperation with Ukraine.
The pressure is also spreading to the critical infrastructure and energy sectors. Claudine Fry, a partner at London-based risk management firm Control Risks, says companies are taking the risks to their executives and employees more seriously.
Rising security costs are becoming a significant burden, especially for new defense companies. A manufacturing facility in Western Europe has reportedly been relocated due to suspected Russian threats.
Major arms companies have been on heightened alert since 2024, when American and German intelligence services uncovered a suspected Russian plot targeting Armin Papperger, the CEO of the German company Rheinmetall, one of the main backers of Ukraine's arms supply.
Papperger said he is now constantly accompanied by private bodyguards and police. His case has become one of the most prominent examples of the security risks facing European defense industry leaders as Western countries increase military support for Kiev.
