Germany Risks Violent Conflict with Russia, Warns Intelligence Chief

Germany faces a growing risk of being drawn into a violent conflict with Russia as Moscow intensifies what Berlin describes as a "shadow war" against European democracies, the head of Germany's foreign intelligence agency has warned.

Martin Jaeger, chief of the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), issued the warning during an annual parliamentary hearing, saying the confrontation with Russia had entered a more dangerous phase.

Germany Accuses Russia Of Escalating Hybrid Attacks

Jaeger said Russian intelligence operations targeting Germany had become increasingly aggressive. He pointed to cyberattacks, drone incidents, espionage and other forms of disruption as part of a broader campaign against Germany and its European allies.

German authorities have accused Russia of being behind an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport in August. Jaeger described the incident as one example of the growing risks facing Germany. Moscow has denied that it intends to attack NATO countries.

No Sign Of Major NATO Attack Yet

Despite his warning, Jaeger said German intelligence currently had no indication that Russia was preparing an imminent large-scale military attack against a NATO member.

He cautioned, however, that Russia could pursue lower-intensity military activities, particularly in the Baltic region. Such actions could be designed to test NATO's response without immediately triggering a full-scale confrontation.

Putin Rejects Claims Of Russian Attack Plans

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly rejected accusations that Moscow intends to attack NATO countries. He said Russia has no intention of attacking anyone but would respond if it were subjected to aggression.

Jaeger offered a different assessment, saying Moscow was prepared to use force to achieve its objectives and was closely observing how Germany and its allies respond to Russian pressure.

Germany Faces Pressure Over Ukraine Support

The BND chief also said Russia was attempting to pressure Germany into reducing its support for Ukraine. Germany remains one of Kyiv's major military and financial supporters, making it an important part of Europe's assistance to Ukraine.

Jaeger warned that Russia could launch particularly severe attacks against Ukraine during the coming winter and argued that a weakening of European support could have wider consequences for the continent's security.

Germany is also moving to strengthen the powers of its intelligence agencies. Proposed reforms would give German services greater ability to conduct active operations against foreign threats, including efforts to disrupt hostile cyber and sabotage activities.

The warning comes as Germany and other European countries reassess their security policies amid the continuing Russia-Ukraine war and growing concerns about Russian hybrid operations across Europe.