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Germany Drills for War in Berlin Subway as Russia Threat Looms Sooner Than Expected
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
German forces have conducted a series of urban warfare drills in Berlin in response to growing concerns that Russia could regain offensive capability to strike NATO territory as early as 2028.
According to Der Tagesspiegel, the exercises were led by the Bundeswehr’s Guard Battalion and focused on combat scenarios in metropolitan environments, including building defense, casualty evacuation under degraded communications, and nighttime operations in the Berlin subway system.
The training lasted one week and aimed to prepare for what officials describe as a “worst-case scenario.”
Lieutenant Colonel Maik Teichgräber, the unit’s commander, said the subway tunnels were selected as realistic environments, as they could serve for troop movement in the event of a national security crisis. He noted that similar drills have been held annually since 2023.
The exercises came shortly after German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned that Russia’s timeline to rebuild its military for a potential NATO attack may be shorter than previously expected.
On November 17, Pistorius stated that Russia could restore its full-scale combat potential by 2028—one year earlier than prior assessments suggested. He also referenced expert opinions suggesting that Europe may have experienced its “last peaceful summer.”
Pistorius acknowledged that Germany underestimated the Russian threat until the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
However, he emphasized that NATO retains a significant deterrence capability, including nuclear forces, and that European armies are operational but require modernization and rearmament.
Similar assessments have been voiced by other German and European officials. Lieutenant General Andréa Zornfrank, commander of Germany’s Joint Operational Headquarters, said Moscow’s decision-making will depend on its remaining military strength and the Western response.
Despite setbacks in Ukraine, Zornfrank noted that Russia still maintains large numbers of main battle tanks, a capable air force, several operational naval fleets, and a nuclear arsenal.
Earlier, German intelligence reported Russian jamming and surveillance of its military satellites, including attempts to monitor Ukrainian troop training. The activity prompted Berlin to fast-track its national space-security strategy.
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