Serious Security Breach: German Army Announces Theft of Massive Ammunition Shipment from Contractor Truck in Magdeburg

A spokesperson for the German Army (Bundeswehr) announced on Tuesday that a large shipment of ammunition intended for the armed forces was stolen from a contracted civilian transport truck. The theft occurred under mysterious circumstances from the "trailer of the civilian transporter vehicle which was parked overnight."

German media, including Der Spiegel magazine, reported that the truck was parked outside a hotel in the city of Magdeburg (eastern Germany). Der Spiegel indicated that an initial inspection of the stolen shipment revealed the loss of approximately 10,000 rounds of live combat ammunition for pistols, in addition to 9,900 blank rounds of maneuver ammunition for assault rifles, alongside so-called smoke ammunition.

According to Der Spiegel, the driver apparently made an unplanned decision to spend the night in the hotel, possibly breaching transport protocols. The magazine added that the contractor also violated protocol by allowing the shipment to be transported by a single driver, whereas two were normally required.

The Army spokesperson explained that the loss was only discovered when the remaining cargo was delivered to the barracks it was destined for. He emphasized that the Army takes this incident "very seriously" and that "the relevant security and investigative authorities were immediately informed of the theft. We are conducting a thorough investigation."

Military sources informed Der Spiegel that they rule out the incident being a "random theft." Instead, "they fear that the ammunition transport was under surveillance and the perpetrators struck when the driver made an unplanned stop."

This security incident occurs at a sensitive time, as Germany has pledged to overhaul its long-neglected armed forces in the face of the Russian threat. Last week, the German government approved a 2026 budget that includes significant debt designated for increased defense spending. The conservative-led ruling coalition also agreed on a new military service model aimed at attracting more recruits to the Bundeswehr.