#Hanning #Patrushev #Germany Hanning and Patrushev August Hanning: Former head of Germany’s foreign intelligence service (BND) from 1998 to 2005, later serving as State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior. He was arrested and placed under investigation by Germany’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office in October 2026 on suspicion of espionage and high treason. [1, 2, 3, 4] Nikolai Patrushev: Vladimir Putin’s longtime security c

#Hanning  #Patrushev  #Germany
Hanning and Patrushev – Google Search  google.com/search?q=Hanning+…
August Hanning: Former head of Germany’s foreign intelligence service (BND) from 1998 to 2005, later serving as State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior. He was arrested and placed under investigation by Germany’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office in October 2026 on suspicion of espionage and high treason. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Nikolai Patrushev: Vladimir Putin’s longtime security confidant, former director of the FSB (1999–2008), and former Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation (2008–2024). [1]
The Connection: Investigative reports (including disclosures from FAZ and leaked documents) revealed that Hanning maintained years of post-retirement contact and private meetings with Patrushev, spanning key geopolitical events:2014: Meeting shortly after Russia’s annexation of Crimea, framed by Hanning’s lawyer as an attempt to warn of negative consequences.
2016: Attendance at a Moscow security conference opened by Patrushev, where Hanning advocated for counter-terrorism cooperation with Russia and criticized sanctions.
2019: Participation in an Arctic Council-related event led by Patrushev, which included a visit to the Valaam Island monastery where Hanning was placed in a position of honor directly beside Patrushev in group photographs. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Current Status: Hanning’s sustained, multi-year proximity and private communications with a top Kremlin security official are a central focus of German authorities investigating alleged intelligence leaks and ties to Russian influence operations, as detailed in coverage by Politico and Ground News. [1, 2, 3, 4]

— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Oct 19, 2026