The head of Germany’s national cybersecurity agency has been sacked after being suspected of maintaining connections with Russian intelligence.
Germany’s interior minister Nancy Faeser dismissed Arne Schonbohm, president of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) from his post with immediate effect, German media reported on Tuesday.
Various news outlets quoted the ministry’s spokesperson saying, “The background to this is not least the allegations, which are well known and widely discussed in the media, and which have permanently damaged the necessary public confidence in the neutrality and impartiality of the conduct of his office as president of Germany’s most important cybersecurity authority.”
There is a growing concern in Germany that the country’s critical infrastructure might be targeted by Russia in retaliation for Berlin’s support of Ukraine.
The German government said more than a week ago that it was investigating these allegations thoroughly.
