Russian intelligence agencies were planning an assassination attempt on a German drone manufacturer
Russian intelligence agencies were likely planning an assassination attempt on Stefan Tumann, the head of the German drone manufacturer Donaustahl. German law enforcement received a warning from the intelligence agencies of friendly countries and was able to thwart the potential attack. Two people have been detained in connection with the case; investigators suspect them of surveilling Tumann.
According to journalists, in the spring of 2026, German police detained two suspects in Spain and Germany—Serhiy N., a Ukrainian citizen, and Alla S., a Romanian citizen. Investigators believe that from December 2025 to March 2026, they were tailing Stefan Tumann near his home. The suspects also took photos and videos of his home and the company’s headquarters. In addition, they gathered information about Tumann online.
German intelligence agencies received a warning
Information about a possible threat to Tuman reached German intelligence agencies in December 2025. According to Die Zeit, the warning was relayed by the intelligence service of a foreign country. Following this, Bavarian law enforcement officials detained Sergei N. They seized his cell phones and copied a large amount of data.
However, law enforcement was unable to fully analyze the information from the phones while he was in custody. The man was released. Shortly thereafter, according to the publication, an analysis of the data revealed possible contacts between Sergei N. and the Russian intelligence service. Investigators also learned of possible surveillance of Tuman’s father in Starnberg, Bavaria. In this way, they may have been attempting to determine the whereabouts of the company’s CEO himself.
By that time, Sergei N. had already left for Spain with his family. Meanwhile, in Germany, Alla S. continued to monitor Stefan Tuman. According to Die Zeit, investigators did not consider her a professional agent and described her actions as rather clumsy.
The suspects were arrested in March
In March 2026, German law enforcement carried out an operation. Sergei N. was arrested in Spain, and Alla S. was arrested in North Rhine-Westphalia. The German Attorney General charged the detainees with acting as agents of a foreign intelligence service. The suspects’ lawyers declined to answer questions from journalists.
According to Die Zeit, Stefan Tumann is currently under heavy security. The head of Donaustahl himself has said almost nothing about the situation recently. On LinkedIn, he wrote to his professional network: “Unfortunately, for certain reasons, I am unable to participate in trade shows, but I’m sure we’ll see each other soon in other settings.”
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, according to the publication, receives regular updates on the case. The investigation is ongoing. The court will ultimately determine the legal consequences of the detainees’ actions. This is reported in an article by the German publication Die Zeit.
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