Germany urges EU to tighten Russian tourist visas after sabotage fears

Germany is pressing its European partners to impose tighter limits on Russian citizens travelling on tourist visas, following a series of sabotage attacks that Berlin has blamed on Moscow. The call comes as German authorities investigate an alleged plot against Leipzig airport involving drones and explosives. Officials say the case has sharpened concerns about how people enter the Schengen area and how visa rules are being applied.

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The suspect under investigation is described as a Belarusian national who also holds a Russian passport. According to the information provided by German authorities, he is alleged to have entered the Schengen area on a tourist visa issued by the Italian embassy in Minsk. Security sources said he did not appear to have travelled through Italy, raising questions in Berlin about the route used to enter Europe and the checks applied before the visa was granted.

Germany's foreign ministry has said the number of visas issued to Russian nationals for holidays in the European Union is too high. Government sources argue that the volume of applications and approvals makes it harder to know who is entering the bloc and for what purpose. The issue has become more sensitive after the alleged Leipzig airport plot and after Germany said Russian intelligence was likely behind it.

Berlin has also announced measures including closing the Russian consulate in Bonn, summoning the Russian ambassador, and tightening monitoring of Russia's shadow fleet in the Baltic Sea. The dispute matters because it sits at the intersection of security policy, sanctions and freedom of movement within the EU. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European governments have repeatedly debated how far to restrict Russian travel while keeping common visa rules in place.

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Germany's latest push suggests that some officials now see tourist visas not only as a migration issue, but also as a possible security vulnerability in the wider response to alleged sabotage activity. The figures cited by officials underline why the issue is politically sensitive. Italy issued more Schengen visas than any other country in the bloc in 2025, and Italy, France and Spain together received three-quarters of all visa applications from Russians, according to the information cited.

Separate figures also show a sharp rise in visas issued by Italy to Belarusians, from 2,968 in 2021 to 50,709 last year. For Russian citizens, Italian visas rose from 63,894 in 2021 to more than 165,000 in 2025, almost tripling despite the war. The European Union has also moved in parallel with a 22nd package of sanctions, and has expanded its list of Russians subject to restrictions.

What remains unclear is the full status of the Leipzig airport investigation, including the evidence behind the alleged drone-and-explosives plot and any direct link to Russian intelligence. The next stage will be whether Germany can persuade other EU governments to back stricter visa limits, and whether the bloc responds with a common approach or leaves the issue to national policy.

#Germany #EuropeanUnion #Russianvisas #Leipzigairport #sanctions

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