Foreign intelligence chief says Germany is Russia's 'number one target in Europe'

"Germany's foreign intelligence boss warned Monday that Russia posed a direct threat, and that the "icy peace" with the European Union could erupt at any moment into "heated confrontation". Martin Jäger, head of the BND spy service, told lawmakers that Russia was determined to expand its "sphere of influence further westward into Europe". "To achieve this goal, Russia will not shy away from direct military confrontation with NATO if necessary," Jäger, who took his post last month, said at a public briefing with MPs in Berlin."

"Jäger said Germany is Russia's "number one target in Europe", given that it is the largest EU economy and plays a "leading role in supporting Ukraine". The warnings come after a series of incidents in the European Union, including the incursion of Russian drones into Poland and the violation of Estonian airspace by Russian fighter jets. In Germany, Russia is suspected to be behind a slew of recent drone incursions, including incidents that halted flight operations at the Munich airport. Authorities also suspect Russia of waging sabotage and disinformation campaigns."

"'Under fire' Jäger, who previously served as German ambassador in Kyiv, argued that Russian ambitions and aggression were not limited to the Ukraine war. "We must not sit back and assume that a possible Russian attack would come in 2029 at the earliest," Jäger said, referring to an earlier intelligence assessment. "We are already under fire today.""

Russia presents an immediate and direct threat to Europe and could escalate the current "icy peace" into open confrontation. Russian strategy seeks to expand its sphere of influence westward and may not hesitate to engage in direct military confrontation with NATO if required. Germany is identified as a primary target due to its economic size and support for Ukraine. Recent incidents include Russian drone incursions into Poland, violations of Estonian airspace, suspected drone operations that disrupted Munich airport, and suspected sabotage and disinformation campaigns. Other security concerns mentioned include political and religious extremism.

Read at The Local Germany