Russia is waging a "shadow war" against European countries, and Germany is its main target, said the head of German intelligence, Martin Jaeger.
The heads of German intelligence services rarely speak so openly. Usually, conversations between members of the Bundestag's parliamentary intelligence oversight committee and the heads of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) and the Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) take place in protected rooms and are strictly confidential.
Since 2016, however, a public hearing has been held once a year, accessible to journalists and even citizens. Such a meeting was held on October 5, and the three heads of the intelligence services described a disturbing picture of today's Germany.
Russia is betting on intimidation and destabilization
Russia's "shadow war" includes acts of intimidation, cyberattacks and preparations for attacks - actions that are already causing damage in Germany. The head of foreign intelligence does not claim that war with Russia is inevitable, but he describes the existing risk. His message can be summarized as follows: war does not begin until the tanks go on the offensive, ARD points out.
Russia will not refrain from a direct military clash with NATO if it is necessary, says Jaeger. A year ago, he warned that Russia could challenge NATO and Europe, and now he has said that Germany is one of Russia's main targets and the country could be drawn into a fierce conflict.
All these threats come against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine - the German government is providing the country invaded by Russia with more military equipment than the government of any other EU country. Sinan Selen, president of the domestic intelligence agency BfV, has warned of Russia's readiness to carry out sabotage and deadly attacks, such as the incident at Leipzig airport in early August with a drone loaded with explosives. He also pointed out that serious risks arise from the practice of recruiting local people for one-off operations. Instead of deploying its own agents, the Kremlin is recruiting people through social media for espionage, sabotage and logistics.
No information about an imminent attack
Along with warnings about new hybrid attacks by Russia, the heads of the intelligence services have not indicated that a Russian attack on Germany or NATO is imminent. They consider new military provocations to be more likely - especially in the Baltic states bordering Russia.
The head of German foreign intelligence agrees with the assessment of senior representatives of the Bundeswehr that after 2029 Russia will be ready to launch an attack on NATO territory - Jaeger also considers this scenario possible. However, he specifies that there are no indications that Russia is preparing such a development. The warning that a conflict could arise is not a warning of imminent war, explains Oliver Neurot of the ARD.
Source: www.dw.com