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full screenThe German intelligence service BND head Bruno Kahl (right), and Thomas Haldenwang, who heads the domestic part of the German intelligence service. Archive image. Photo: Michael Sohn/AP/TT
Russian military is estimated to have the capacity to attack a NATO country by 2030. At the same time, the country is currently strengthening the ability to carry out sabotage in the countries that support Ukraine.
The warning comes from two heads of German intelligence in a hearing in the German parliament, the Bundestag, on Monday.
The head of the intelligence service BND, Bruno Kahl, said that Germany is in “direct confrontation with Russia, whether we like it or not”.
– In terms of forces and materiel, the Russian military is probably capable of carrying out an attack on NATO before the end of this decade, said Kahl.
Thomas Haldenwang, chairman of the German Constitutional Protection Agency, said that Russian espionage and sabotage in Germany is increasing, both in quantity and with increased precision. He specifically mentioned an incident at Leipzig Airport in July this year, when a package exploded before being loaded onto a cargo plane.
It was “pure luck” that the package did not explode during a flight, Haldenwag said.
According to Haldenwag, who is responsible for the German domestic security, Russian drone espionage of important locations and disinformation has increased significantly. He also said that Russia is trying to recruit people with links to criminal activity in Germany.