German Military Raises Russian Sabotage Threat Level to 'Significant'

Germany’s armed forces have classified the threat of Russian sabotage against their troops and facilities at home as “significant” for the first time, following drone discoveries that suggest military aircraft could be direct targets.

The designation is the Bundeswehr’s second-highest threat category, according to an internal assessment reported by Süddeutsche Zeitung and WDR.

It marks a shift from earlier concerns centered largely on sites training Ukrainian soldiers.

A military spokesperson said higher threat assessments generally bring additional security measures to protect personnel and installations.

Drone Discoveries Drive Reassessment

The revised assessment follows a failed attack involving an explosives-laden drone at Leipzig/Halle Airport in early August and the discovery of a similar aircraft near Wunstorf air base in Lower Saxony in mid-September.

The Leipzig operation apparently sought to destroy Ukrainian cargo aircraft. Investigators believe the drone found near Wunstorf was probably intended to attack Bundeswehr aircraft.

A farmer discovered the crashed aircraft by chance. Findings by the Federal Criminal Police Office, or BKA, indicate it had been lying near the base for about two years.

Its construction resembled the Leipzig drone, and it was also believed to have been prepared with explosives.

The military assessment distinguishes between the two incidents: Leipzig posed an indirect threat to the Bundeswehr, while Wunstorf very likely represented an attempt to target it directly.

Military Warns of Escalation

The internal analysis concludes that Russia has almost certainly possessed the capability to attack German forces and facilities for some time, and very likely now has a greater intention to do so.

It says the use of drones capable of causing physical destruction crossed a previously assumed “red line” regarding Russian willingness to inflict damage or potentially lethal effects against Germany and its armed forces.

The assessment identifies Moscow’s likely broader objective as weakening political and public support for German assistance to Ukraine, while undermining the equipment and training that sustain Ukrainian defenses.

German authorities have recorded repeated suspected surveillance and sabotage incidents since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

These include activity around naval bases and shipyards housing German warships.

Suspicious drone flights have also been reported over Holzdorf air base, which houses the new Arrow 3 missile defense system, and the military facility at Mechernich, where Patriot air defense systems are repaired. Security authorities suspect Russian involvement.

Further Actions Expected

A confidential BKA report covered by SZ, NDR and WDR in early September recorded more than 165 suspected sabotage cases nationwide by the end of August.

Domestic intelligence chief Sinan Selen warned last week that Russian covert attacks and destabilization operations were “not a temporary development, but a long-term hybrid attack.”

The Bundeswehr’s assessment says the sabotage threat can no longer be confined to particular locations.

Drawing on intelligence assessments, it anticipates a short-term deterioration in the security situation and further actions in the near future.