The President of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), Martin Jäger, sees the danger of Germany confronting Russia. “The attempted attack in Leipzig is just one example of this: no other country is currently posing such a direct, comprehensive and concrete threat against Germany,” said Jäger in a public hearing before the Parliamentary Control Committee of the Bundestag.
The Russian secret services acted “highly professionally and ruthlessly,” warned Jäger. "The danger of attacks against targets in Germany remains real and present."
Hunter: Russia is waging a “shadow war”
In particular, the Russian leadership wants to "ensure in the future that no political decisions are made against Moscow in Berlin and other European capitals," he said. “Germany is in danger of getting into a violent conflict with Russia,” said Jäger.
Moscow also wants to stop Europe's support for Ukraine. Since the summer, Russian warfare against Ukraine has intensified significantly. At the same time, Russia is trying to stop arms deliveries.
"Russia is waging a shadow war against us: This undeclared war cannot be grasped using conventional military or legal categories," explained Jäger. “We have to be prepared for attempts at intimidation and further interference.” There will probably be nuclear threats again.
Major Russian attack not expected
However, the BND currently sees no evidence of a large-scale attack by Russia on NATO territory. However, there could be “low-threshold Russian military activities,” particularly in the Baltics.
The President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Sinan Selen, also emphasized Russia's willingness to commit sabotage and homicide. “We have already had defensive successes,” he added. But the situation continues to worsen, which is why the German intelligence services have to adapt their capabilities to those of other European partner services.
Martina Rosenberg, the President of the Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD), also reported growing threats. The Bundeswehr is equally “threatened by a variety of threats from outside and from within,” she said.
Annual public hearing
Selen, Jäger and Rosenberg are usually only available to answer questions to members of the Parliamentary Control Committee in secret meetings. A public hearing only takes place once a year.
In this electoral period, so far only parliamentarians from the Union, SPD and Greens are represented in the body that controls the services. Candidates from the ranks of the AfD faction and the Left faction each failed to achieve the necessary majority in elections.
Expansion of powers planned
At the hearing last year they also particularly warned against Russian activities. However, the focus was on espionage, sabotage, drone flights and cyber attacks.
In view of the growing threat, the intelligence services see an urgent need to reform their activities, as the three presidents emphasized at the hearing. Against this background, BND boss Jäger promoted the federal government's new BND law and welcomed the planned expansion and standardization of control mechanisms. Rosenberg and Selen made similar comments about transforming their services.
