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Germany Could Be Pulled Into an Armed Clash With Russia as Moscow’s “Shadow War” Escalates, Spy Chief Warns
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Germany faces an increasingly serious risk that its confrontation with Russia could escalate into the use of military force, according to Martin Jäger, head of Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service, who warned that Moscow is already conducting what he described as a “shadow war” against the country, according to Ukrinform on October 5.
Speaking during a public hearing of the Bundestag committee responsible for overseeing Germany’s intelligence services, Jäger said the nature of the Russian threat had changed significantly and now represented the most direct and comprehensive security challenge facing Germany.
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“The confrontation in which we find ourselves with Russia has taken on a new, more dangerous quality. Germany risks finding itself in a conflict with Russia involving the use of force. The attempted attack in Leipzig is just one example. At present, no other country poses such a direct, comprehensive and specific threat to Germany,” Jäger said.
He argued that Moscow increasingly views Germany as one of its principal adversaries because of Berlin’s support for Ukraine and its role in resisting Russian pressure against European states, particularly those on NATO’s eastern flank.
“We did not seek this confrontation. Russia is imposing it on us and sees us as one of its main adversaries. Because we do not accept Russia’s revisionist, expansionist policy and its war of aggression against Ukraine. Because we oppose Russian intimidation of our allies in the Baltics and other parts of Europe,” the BND chief said.
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Jäger described Germany as “one of the main obstacles to Russia’s hegemonic projection of power in Europe,” arguing that this position has made Berlin an increasingly important target for Russian intelligence operations, sabotage, intimidation and political interference.
“Anyone who does not submit becomes an adversary. That is Moscow’s logic,” he said.
According to Jäger, Russian authorities closely monitor how Germany responds to provocations and interpret hesitation or political uncertainty as an opportunity to increase pressure. One of Moscow’s central objectives, he said, is to weaken European political support for Ukraine and create conditions in which governments become reluctant to make decisions that run counter to Russian interests.
“We must be prepared for attempts at intimidation and further interference. There will probably be nuclear threats again. We have to withstand that,” Jäger said.
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The intelligence chief described Russia’s broader campaign as an undeclared “shadow war” that operates below the traditional threshold of an openly declared military confrontation, combining covert operations and political pressure with other forms of hostile activity.
“The Russian leadership wants to ensure for the future that political decisions against Moscow are not made in Berlin and other European capitals. Russia is waging a shadow war against us. This undeclared war cannot be described using conventional military or legal categories. We are not in a state of defense, and yet we are being attacked. That is precisely what a shadow war is,” Jäger said.
Previously, reports emerged that Russia is preparing a new wave of drone operations in Europe that could target Mediterranean countries, with Spain, France, and Italy among the states potentially at risk.
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