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Germany fires cybersecurity chief ‘over Russia ties’

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After claims that he had established an association with Russia in an uncomfortably close manner, Germany’s head of cybersecurity was fired 
Since 2016, Arne Schönbohm served as the head of the Federal Cyber Security Authority (BSI), which is responsible for securing government communications.

He has been charged with having connections to individuals connected to Russian intelligence services by German media. He is the subject of an investigation by the interior ministry. It did, however, confirm that he had been let go with immediate effect.

Mr. Schönbohm was under investigation after Jan Böhmermann, the host of one of Germany’s most well-liked late-night TV shows, brought up his possible connections to a Russian corporation through a prior position.

Prior to taking over the BSI, Mr. Schönbohm assisted in founding and managing the Cyber Security Council Germany, a private organisation that provides business and policymakers with cybersecurity advice.

The association’s 10th anniversary celebrations were held in September, and he is claimed to have continued to keep close ties with them. Protelion, a cybersecurity firm that was a branch of a Russian company allegedly founded by a former KGB agent honoured by President Vladimir Putin, was one of the association’s members.

The allegations of connections to Russian intelligence are unfounded, according to Cyber Security Council Germany, which expelled Protelion from the group last weekend.

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Ukraine war: Germany fears Russia gas cut may become permanent

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German imports of Russian natural gas through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline under the Baltic Sea have been stopped for 10 days due to routine maintenance. But German Economy Minister Robert Habeck issued a warning that EU nations needed to be ready in the event that gas imports would not start up again.

In reaction to EU sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine, he has charged that the Kremlin has been using gas “as a weapon.” Mr. Habeck acknowledged that Germany had grown too reliant on Russian gas. However, he stated that two floating terminals for LNG deliveries would be ready by the end of the year.

Russian gas giant Gazprom reduced gas flows via Nord Stream 1 to just 40% of the pipeline’s capacity in the middle of June. It attributed the delay to the equipment being maintained by Siemens Energy in Germany.

According to the Canadian government, a fixed Siemens turbine for the pipeline will now be delivered to Germany. The Ukrainian government was incensed by such action and claimed that Canada had changed the sanctions it had put in place against Moscow “at the whims of Russia.”

Despite the restrictions, Canada says it is allowing Siemens Canada a “time-limited and revocable licence” to transfer fixed turbines back to Germany. The government of Germany is concerned that gas supplies might be temporarily or permanently limited.

Every summer, when gas demand is lower than in the winter, pipeline repair is customary. The concern is that Russia might not open the taps again.

Italian energy company Eni said it would receive around a third less gas from Russia’s Gazprom on Monday compared to typical levels sent over the previous several days as a result of the pipeline outage.

Fatih Birol, the director-general of the International Energy Agency, has cautioned that Russia may completely cut off gas supplies to Europe and that the continent has to start preparing right away.

Poland, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Finland have already stopped receiving gas from Russia because they won’t accept a new payment system.

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