Germany Seeks Intelligence Reforms Amid Russian Shadow War
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt warns of a Russian shadow war and proposes expanding domestic intelligence powers following a failed drone attack at a German airport.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt warned on Monday that Germany is engaged in a "shadow war" with Russia that is more extensive than the Cold War. He stated the conflict's clear aim is to "destabilise us fundamentally." This assessment follows a failed August attack involving an explosives-laden drone at a German airport, which authorities attributed to Russia.
In response to these threats, the German government is pursuing a reform bill to grant the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) broader powers, including the ability to take active defensive measures. BfV President Sinan Selen detailed how Russia utilizes hybrid tools such as disinformation, sabotage, and assassination plots, noting that this is a fact Germany must deal with.
While the Kremlin has dismissed the accusations as baseless and the airport incident as fabricated, German intelligence and counterparts in the Czech Republic warn that these hybrid attacks across Europe are intended to erode support for Ukraine. The Federal Intelligence Service also warned in October of the risk of violent conflict with Moscow.
