The Hunt for Stefan Thumann

Are they doing it? Are they taking a tougher stance? Are the Russians resorting to active acts of violence in Germany because they believe that Germany’s active support for Ukraine directly affects them, and because they need to strike in “Ukraine’s hinterland” to disrupt operations and tell the Germans: “Not like this.” There’s the drone from Leipzig, which was a fully functional model loaded with explosives, intended to destroy an Antonov supply plane bound for Ukraine and thus provide dramatic footage. And now there’s Stefan Thumann, founder of the Bavarian defense contractor DONAUSTAHL, who, according to German security authorities, is under special protection. This comes amid indications of a possible assassination plot by Russian military intelligence. Among other things, Thumann’s company produces drones and drone parts that are supplied to Ukraine.

In an interview with RTL, Thumann described the impact of the security situation on his daily life. “I’m in a life-or-death struggle with Russian military intelligence,” he says. He has drawn up his will, an organ donation form, and a living will. “Things that you don’t really have on your radar at my age,” said the 39-year-old. According to him, he changes his location regularly and is under round-the-clock protection. Under these circumstances, he said, a normal private life is hardly possible anymore.

According to the report, German authorities were informed about a possible threat by a foreign intelligence service about eight months ago and subsequently warned Thumann. Stefan says he tries to focus as little as possible on the personal threat by working intensively.

In March, investigators acting on behalf of the Federal Prosecutor General arrested two people suspected of working for a Russian intelligence service. They are a Ukrainian citizen and a Romanian woman. Between December 2025 and March 2026, they are alleged to have observed Thumann, taken photographs of his home and company headquarters, and gathered information about him online. The war in Ukraine has now become his “very personal war” as well. Shortly before Christmas 2025, he received information from German security agencies about a Russian intelligence operation targeting him. “That was a shock.” Since then, he has effectively been living in hiding. In March, the Federal Prosecutor General ordered the arrest of two so-called “disposable agents.” They are alleged to have spied on Thumann, presumably to “prepare further intelligence operations against the target.”

Security authorities believe the activities may have been part of the preparation for an intelligence operation. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution sees indications of a possible attack. CDU Member of the Bundestag Bastian Ernst told RTL that, based on the available information, the use of the nerve agent Novichok may also have been planned.

Target Group: Defense Contractors

Stefan Thumann is not alone: Authorities are viewing the case within the broader context of Russian activities in Germany. Since the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, German and foreign intelligence services have reported an increase in espionage and intimidation attempts.

As early as 2024, a suspected plot to assassinate Armin Papperger, CEO of the defense contractor Rheinmetall, had come to light. Jürgen Kayser, president of the North Rhine-Westphalia Office for the Protection of the Constitution, sees parallels to the methods used by intelligence agencies during the Cold War.

According to security authorities, Russia is relying, among other things, on so-called “disposable agents.” These are often individuals with no intelligence experience who are recruited for specific, relatively simple tasks. These tasks may include, for example, surveillance, photographing specific locations, or flying drones over military facilities and transportation routes.

DONAUSTAHL, headquartered in Hutthurm in Lower Bavaria, is among the companies supplying drones to the Ukrainian armed forces. According to the company, more than 25,000 drones and approximately 300,000 so-called “Combat Stacks”—electronic components comprising flight control systems, warheads, and motors—were sold to Ukraine in 2024. These Western-made products make the Ukrainian drone arsenal independent of stacks from China. This is obviously something that “the Russians”—in keeping with the often-cited presumption of innocence—find deeply troubling. But what it makes clear is that Western supplies to the war zone are themselves becoming targets. What we are seeing here are the first steps toward an escalation.

The full RTL documentary “Putin’s Disposable Agents—The Cheap Enforcers” for the “stern Investigativ” series is available on RTL+.

DONAUSTAHL online