BND President Järger warns of violent confrontation with Russia

The President of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), Martin Järger, warns of a possible violent confrontation with Russia. "The confrontation we are in with Russia has a new, more dangerous quality," said Jäger in a public hearing before the Bundestag's Parliamentary Control Committee. "Germany is in danger of getting into a violent conflict with Russia." He described Russia as "our most dangerous enemy."

"We weren't looking for this confrontation, Russia is forcing it on us," said Jäger. The reason for this is that Germany does not accept "Russia's revisionist-expansionist policies" and the war against Ukraine "because we oppose Russian intimidation of our allies in the Baltics and elsewhere in Europe." The leadership in Moscow therefore sees Germany as the "main obstacle to Russian hegemonic power projection in Europe" and is therefore becoming "the target of Russian action."

The attempted attack at Leipzig Airport, in which several drones loaded with explosives were supposed to have hit a Ukrainian transport plane parked there, was "just one example" of activities by Russian secret services that took place "in and against Germany." Jäger warned against allowing himself to be intimidated: "Russia is putting us to the test and is watching closely to see how we deal with this situation," he said. "From the perspective of the leadership in the Kremlin, any sign of fickleness invites us to further increase the pressure on Germany."

In addition to Jäger, the heads of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) and the Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) also took part in the public hearing before the parliamentary control committee. Normally, members of the body responsible for overseeing the intelligence services can only ask their heads questions in secret meetings. A public hearing takes place once a year.