German intelligence has warned that Russia could be preparing for an attack on NATO in the late 2030s, amid rising tension and espionage activities. Bruno Kahl, head of the foreign intelligence service (BND), informed the German Parliament that the Russian Armed Forces could be ready for a direct confrontation with the US-led alliance in the coming years.
According to Kahl’s statement, “in terms of personnel and material, the Russian armed forces will probably be able to carry out an attack against NATO by the end of the decade at the latest.” The intelligence chief highlighted that confrontation between Moscow and NATO has become an option for Russia, as the Kremlin continues to challenge the West through the invasion of Ukraine and other destabilizing tactics.
For their part, the heads of Germany’s internal and military intelligence, also present at the Bundestag hearing, pointed out an increase in Russian espionage and sabotage activities in German territory. Thomas Haldenwang, head of domestic intelligence, noted that “Russian espionage and sabotage are increasing in both quality and quantity.” Among the incidents mentioned is the explosion of a package that almost caused a plane crash, which was described as a “lucky accident” as it did not occur during the flight.
Following this line, the head of military intelligence, Martina Rosenberg, indicated that Russia has intensified its surveillance on German weapons shipments to Ukraine and military training activities. This is in addition to disinformation campaigns and the deployment of drones to spy on critical infrastructure. German officials have warned that these actions are part of a broader Kremlin strategy to weaken countries that support Ukraine.
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Fuente: Barron´s
