Defence contractor Thumann lives in hiding: Novichok attack planned by Russian secret service
Donaustahl chief Stefan Thumann supplies drones to Ukraine and has since become the target of an alleged Russian murder plot. He lives in isolation, under guard, and has made his will.
Defence contractor in secret location: Russia allegedly planned poison attack on Thumann
German defence contractor Stefan Thumann (39) has been living under strict personal protection at changing secret locations for months – being pursued by Russian intelligence. This is reported by BILD following a podcast conversation with the founder and chief of defence company Donaustahl, which supplies combat drones to Ukraine.
"I am completely isolated. My loved ones are not around me. I live alone with my bodyguards. It is a permanent state of emergency, which will not change in any foreseeable future," says Thumann. He did not name his exact location during the conversation – a major German city, he said, would have to suffice as information.
Informed shortly before Christmas, first arrest within hours
Shortly before Christmas 2025, authorities informed Thumann that he was in danger. The warning came in stages: initially he was told that something could possibly be on the way. A few days later, the suspicion was confirmed – and shortly afterwards, the first arrest took place.
"The authorities only communicated in bits and pieces what was actually going on here. Gradually, they revealed to me: 'Yes, there is a threat, yes, it is coming from Russia and yes, it is very serious – it is a matter of life and death'," Thumann recounts.
He has converted his official addresses into so-called honeypots – locations designed to deliberately lure hostile actors into a trap. Cameras monitor the entrances; every unknown person is to be identified immediately. In this way, according to Thumann, German authorities managed to arrest the first so-called low-level agent within a few hours – a person who carries out simple intelligence tasks on behalf of a secret service without knowing the exact background of the operation.
Novichok as planned weapon
From the Bundestag, he learned that Russian actors intended to kill him with the nerve agent Novichok – the same substance used, among other things, in the attack on later murdered Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. The low-level agents were merely deployed to find out his whereabouts, according to Thumann: "The low-levels were only there to find out: where am I? Then a murder attack using poison was to be carried out."
Thumann has taken precautions for an emergency. One of his bodyguards is a trained paramedic and has additionally been trained in dealing with poisonings. Corresponding antidotes are ready at any time. "We take this very seriously," says the businessman.
Will and organ donation declaration already signed
According to his own account, Thumann has drawn up a will, signed an organ donation declaration and a living will. "My death is at least factored into this story," he says. The company would not be affected by it: appropriate arrangements have been made in case he is no longer around one day.
For months, Thumann has not seen his family. Communication runs exclusively through encrypted messenger services. Even a visit to a pub is no longer possible.
Drones for Ukraine, customers including the unit "Kraken"
Thumann's company Donaustahl supplies Ukraine with combat drones that can be used against enemy soldiers or vehicles. According to his account, customers include the well-known Ukrainian unit "Kraken".
"Germany and Russia are at war"
Thumann now rejects the term "hybrid war". The threshold has long since been crossed. "Germany and Russia are at war. The actions carried out against Germany by forces of the Russian Federation are called, for example, sabotage. That is a perfectly normal act of war. It is also controlled and coordinated by the Russian armed forces here," he says.
The full conversation with Thumann has appeared in the podcast by BILD vice Paul Ronzheimer.
Source: BILD