German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt warned Monday that Germany faced a "shadow war" more far-reaching than threats during the Cold War, and said the situation underscored the need to strengthen the country's domestic intelligence agency.
"The shadow war we are witnessing today has an objective that extends far beyond anything seen during the Cold War," Dobrindt said at a press conference held by the BfV, Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, in Berlin. "Its clear aim is to destabilize us – to destabilize us fundamentally," he added, without directly naming Russia.
Officials from many Western countries have warned for months that Russia is mounting sabotage, cyber and other hybrid attacks across Europe to erode support for Ukraine. Russia has said such accusations are baseless and the result of anti-Russian hysteria.
Dobrindt's comments echo recent warnings from Martin Jäger, head of Germany's foreign intelligence service, the BND. Earlier in October, Jäger stated that Russia's covert operations against Europe were becoming increasingly dangerous. The BND chief warned that Germany risked becoming embroiled in violent conflict with Moscow.
Dobrindt emphasized the need to expand the capabilities of the BfV to counter the current security environment. His remarks came as security officials across Western nations have raised alarms about the scope and sophistication of Russian hybrid warfare operations targeting European stability and NATO cohesion.
Czech security services also announced Monday that they had detected Russian interference activities, adding to a growing chorus of warnings from European intelligence agencies about coordinated Russian operations across the continent.