August M
Concerns are growing among Nato allies over alleged Russian surveillance activity close to a key military centre in Germany.
The reports come as Moscow renews warnings of a wider conflict in Europe linked to the war in Ukraine.
According to the Express, Western officials believe the claims point to an expanding covert campaign by the Kremlin.
Hotel under watch
Russian intelligence operatives are suspected of monitoring Nato-linked personnel staying near a major alliance base in Germany, according to reports cited by the Express.
The focus is said to be a low-cost hotel in Wiesbaden, close to the US-run Clay Kaserne military facility.
The base plays a central role in training, logistics and military support for Ukraine.
Nato staff staying at the hotel reportedly alerted superiors after noticing what they described as suspicious individuals tracking movements in and out of the building.
The UK Government has since issued a security alert linked to suspected espionage activity in the area, the paper reported.
Wider surveillance fears
A Nato official told the i newspaper that Russian intelligence activity had intensified around sensitive locations.
“We are hyper aware of surveillance,” the official said.
They added that staff accommodation near other ports and military facilities had also been placed on alert.
The comments followed separate incidents in Norway, where Russian infiltrators were recently detained after posing as fishermen and tourists near the border.
According to the Express, officials see the incidents as part of a broader intelligence-gathering effort across Europe.
Kremlin rhetoric escalates
The alleged surveillance comes amid increasingly hostile rhetoric from Moscow.
Russian figures, including former president Dmitri Medvedev, have repeatedly warned of conflict with Nato.
Speaking on state television last week, Medvedev criticised discussions about Nato troops potentially being sent to Ukraine as part of a peace arrangement.
“It’s been said a thousand times,” he said. “Russia won’t accept any European or NATO troops in Ukraine.”
Another Nato official told the i that Russia had “ramped up its covert campaign against our societies”.
UK response and war context
A Foreign Office spokesperson said the UK treats such threats with the “utmost seriousness”.
“The UK, alongside our NATO allies, remains highly vigilant and resilient in the face of hostile state activities,” they added.
The espionage claims come as Russia intensifies attacks on Ukraine.
The Express reported that at least four people were killed in Kyiv after a large overnight barrage involving drones and missiles.
Moscow has also deployed new weapons systems, including the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile and the Geran-5 strike drone, further heightening Western concern.
Sources: Express, i newspaper, UK Foreign Office
