The BND chief explained that the Kremlin sees the West, and therefore Germany, as an enemy.

During a public hearing in the Bundestag, top German intelligence officials focused on Russia's hybrid and covert activities.

"We are observing the aggressive activities of Russia's intelligence services," said the head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Thomas Haldenwang, as quoted by the dpa agency.

In particular, espionage and sabotage have increased. The head of the German Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD), Martina Rosenberg, has warned of disturbing attempts by foreign services to spy on the Bundeswehr - whether to obtain information about German arms deliveries to Ukraine, training or armament projects, or to spread insecurity through acts of sabotage.

The Bundestag committee that is supposed to monitor the work of the three services usually meets behind closed doors. The content of the meetings is generally secret. The heads of the services answer questions from parliamentarians in public only once a year, dpa reported.

lp/ belsat.eu according to PAP