Bundeswehr General Carsten Breuer has warned of increasing attacks on the infrastructure in Germany. “Every substation, every power plant, every pipeline can be attacked, can be a possible target,” said the commander of the new territorial command of the Bundeswehr of “Bild am Sonntag”. “Here in command, we are primarily prepared for hybrid threats. This is the state between not quite peace anymore, but not really war either.”
The background is Russia’s attack on Ukraine and the new security situation in Europe. “Russia’s war has brought our focus back to national and collective defence. It has become clear to the whole country: War in Europe is possible again.” Breuer warned against underestimating the nuclear threats from Russia.
Needlesticks and other influences
Attacks and influence from abroad could increase. “This is not about an enemy army with soldiers and tanks attacking our country,” emphasized Breuer. “But there is influence, with attacks on infrastructure and cyber attacks, or, for example, reconnaissance flights with drones over barracks. In other words, pinpricks in the population, which should stir up uncertainty among us and shake confidence in our state. ”The security authorities would have to adapt to this threat, Breuer told the newspaper.
Germany must “with its security authorities keep an eye on and an ear to what possible attacks are planned, which are the most likely scenarios.” The limited forces must then be sent there in a targeted manner, because: “”You cannot protect every power pole.”
“Change behavior”
“Hysteria is a bad advisor,” pointed out the Bundeswehr general. However, it should be clear to every citizen “that they should change their individual behavior” – this includes, for example, the mental attitude or the purchase of a flashlight and a radio with sufficient batteries for the home, i.e. independent of the power supply from the socket.
The Territorial Command, which was set up in September and is based centrally in Berlin, is intended to bundle domestic Bundeswehr tasks that were previously spread across several areas. It should enable faster decisions in crisis situations.