The head of Germany's foreign intelligence service was in Ukraine when Russia invaded Ukraine and had to be evacuated by special forces when the country's airspace was closed, Focus magazine reported..

The Federal Intelligence Service (BND) has confirmed that Bruno Kahl was in Ukraine on Wednesday for "

“Due to the outbreak of hostilities and the closure of Ukrainian airspace, the president returned by land route,” the BND said in a statement on Friday, which did not mention the role of special forces..

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“It was a difficult and long journey because of the flows of refugees going in one direction. He returned to the European Union, and today they are waiting for him in Berlin.”.

The Bild newspaper, citing sources, said that Kal was in Ukraine to personally convey important information.. Kahl, a former politician, not a professional secret agent, missed the previous evacuation of German diplomats.

Earlier it was reported that France sent an elite police unit to protect its embassy in Kyiv.