The Federal Foreign Office confirmed late Saturday that it had hauled in Russia’s ambassador after investigators traced two headline-grabbing cyber incidents to GRU unit APT-28 ("Fancy Bear"). The first breach, disclosed only now, hit Deutsche Flugsicherung’s internal communications network in mid-2024; the second, codenamed “Storm-1516,” targeted digital vote-tabulation servers ahead of February 2025’s federal election. Although passenger flights were not delayed, DFS says the hack forced contingency rerouting of air-traffic data, costing the agency an estimated €9 million in overtime and software fixes.
Germany’s response marks a sharp escalation in how Berlin links cybersecurity to national—and cross-border—mobility. Foreign-Minister Martin Giese told reporters that aviation and election infrastructure are “critical arteries of a modern, open society” and that attacks on them will now trigger the same EU-level sanctions Germany advocates after kinetic assaults on physical borders. Proposed measures include asset freezes, travel bans on suspected GRU operatives and a new obligation for carriers to file 24-hour cybersecurity self-assessments before using German airspace.
![Germany summons Russian ambassador over GRU cyber-attacks on air-traffic control and elections]()
Amid these heightened security requirements, VisaHQ can help companies and travelers navigate the shifting compliance terrain. Through its dedicated Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/), VisaHQ provides up-to-date information on entry rules, crew permits, and transit documentation—resources that become invaluable when last-minute policy changes follow cyber incidents or new aviation mandates.
For global-mobility teams the immediate concern is operational resilience. Airlines and logistics firms will need to plug into the Federal IT Security Agency’s (BSI) expanded threat-information platform from 1 January 2026. Multinationals relocating staff via Germany’s hubs should review business-continuity plans: Frankfurt and Munich airports are rolling out extra identity-management checks at crew security lanes, and corporate jet operators must submit strengthened flight-plan encryption keys.
Cyber experts say the episode underscores a broader trend: state-backed hackers targeting mobility chokepoints to gain geopolitical leverage. As Germany pushes for EU-wide retaliation, companies dependent on seamless travel links should brace for short-notice regulatory directives and factor cybersecurity audits into relocation budgets for 2026.
Germany’s response marks a sharp escalation in how Berlin links cybersecurity to national—and cross-border—mobility. Foreign-Minister Martin Giese told reporters that aviation and election infrastructure are “critical arteries of a modern, open society” and that attacks on them will now trigger the same EU-level sanctions Germany advocates after kinetic assaults on physical borders. Proposed measures include asset freezes, travel bans on suspected GRU operatives and a new obligation for carriers to file 24-hour cybersecurity self-assessments before using German airspace.
Amid these heightened security requirements, VisaHQ can help companies and travelers navigate the shifting compliance terrain. Through its dedicated Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/), VisaHQ provides up-to-date information on entry rules, crew permits, and transit documentation—resources that become invaluable when last-minute policy changes follow cyber incidents or new aviation mandates.
For global-mobility teams the immediate concern is operational resilience. Airlines and logistics firms will need to plug into the Federal IT Security Agency’s (BSI) expanded threat-information platform from 1 January 2026. Multinationals relocating staff via Germany’s hubs should review business-continuity plans: Frankfurt and Munich airports are rolling out extra identity-management checks at crew security lanes, and corporate jet operators must submit strengthened flight-plan encryption keys.
Cyber experts say the episode underscores a broader trend: state-backed hackers targeting mobility chokepoints to gain geopolitical leverage. As Germany pushes for EU-wide retaliation, companies dependent on seamless travel links should brace for short-notice regulatory directives and factor cybersecurity audits into relocation budgets for 2026.
