Germany is facing a "shadow war" that surpasses threats seen during the Cold War, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Monday, emphasizing the need to strengthen the country’s domestic intelligence agency, the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV).
Speaking at a BfV press conference in Berlin, Dobrindt described the current security challenges as more extensive and complex than previous eras of geopolitical tension. While he did not explicitly name Russia, his remarks referred to ongoing concerns about sabotage, cyberattacks, and hybrid operations aimed at undermining European stability, particularly in support of Ukraine.
Western officials have long alleged that Russia is orchestrating a range of covert actions across Europe, including disinformation campaigns and physical sabotage, to weaken political resolve toward Ukraine. Moscow has consistently denied these accusations, attributing them to anti-Russian hysteria.
“The goal is clear: to fundamentally destabilize us,” Dobrindt said, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
These warnings align with recent statements from Germany’s foreign intelligence service, the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), which cautioned that tensions with Russia could escalate into violent conflict. Similarly, the Czech Republic’s security service warned on Monday that Russia might intensify "mixed" operations—including hybrid tactics—in NATO countries that back Ukraine in the coming months.
The urgency to bolster Germany’s intelligence capabilities increased notably after an attempted attack involving an explosives-laden drone at a German airport in August, an operation attributed to Russia by German authorities but dismissed as fabricated by the Kremlin. BfV President Sinan Selen highlighted that Russia employs a wide array of hybrid warfare tools, from spreading misinformation and manipulating information to acts of sabotage and even assassination plots within Germany.
“Russia’s use of virtually every tool available in hybrid warfare is a fact we must confront,” Selen said. Regarding the Leipzig drone incident, he warned that similar attempts could occur in the future.
In response to these evolving threats, the German government is considering a reform bill designed to expand the powers of intelligence agencies. This legislation, currently under review by parliamentary committees following a first reading in September, would grant agencies broader authority, including capabilities for active defensive measures.
Dobrindt stressed the importance of Germany maintaining a leading role in intelligence development, stating, “Germany cannot be a second- or third-rate player when it comes to developing services and capabilities; we must remain at the forefront, given the challenges we face.”
Germany’s intelligence agencies were established post-World War II with tighter restrictions compared to their counterparts in countries such as France, Britain, and the United States. This historical caution has shaped the debate around expanding the scope of Germany’s intelligence operations in response to the current security environment.