German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has warned of growing confrontation between Russia and NATO, in an interview with the Handelsblatt newspaper published on Sunday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin no longer has any scruples, according to Faeser, and has become more aggressive towards NATO members like Germany since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“Since the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, we have experienced a turning point in internal security. Russia is waging a hybrid war in Europe. It is obvious that disinformation campaigns, acts of sabotage and cyberattacks are state-controlled,” she said.
But Faeser urged restraint and judiciousness in response, saying that she did “not hope that the threshold for a NATO alliance case will be crossed. We must continue to act decisively, but at the same time prudently.”
Chancellor Olaf Scholz had always acted to prevent Germany from falling into such a scenario – “but of course we can see that the hybrid threat situation is increasing. That’s why we have to position and protect ourselves completely differently,” she said.
Before the European Parliament elections in June, Germany’s security services and other EU partners uncovered a massive Russian campaign of influence and lies, Faeser noted.
German authorities will take the necessary steps to counter any such efforts to influence Germany’s upcoming early elections slated for February, and the country’s domestic intelligence agency has set up a task force, she said.
When asked whether Russia had intensified its sabotage activities, Faeser said: “We are registering a significant increase. That is why critical infrastructure must be better protected.”
She said that the current coalition government has tabled a law aimed at improving the physical security of important facilities, such as energy, transport and telecommunication hubs.
She urged the conservative CDU/CSU opposition to support the law, saying that blocking it would be irresponsible given the current heightened threats.
The outgoing government lacks a majority in parliament and must rely on support from the opposition to pass any measures into law.
Faeser also commented on plans for a national network identifying bunkers and other defence shelters: “First of all, it’s about easily accessible shelters such as underground car parks, underground stations or basements of public buildings, which must be easy to find using navigation and warning apps. We also provide tips on how to protect your own cellar with simple means.”
When asked when the concept would be ready, Faeser said: “We are working on it. But we can’t make up for decades of neglect in just a few years.”
