Germany at risk of 'violent conflict' with Russia, intelligence chief warns

Posted Tue 6 Oct 2026 at 2:12amTue 6 Oct 2026 at 2:12amThe head of Germany's foreign intelligence service, Martin Jaeger, is warning of the risk of conflict with Russia due to ongoing hybrid attacks. (Reuters: Liesa Johannssen)In short: The head of Germany's federal intelligence service, Martin Jaeger, says the country could enter a "violent conflict" with Russia due to the Kremlin's "shadow war" with European democracies.Germany has blamed Russia for increasingly brazen incidents on its soil, including an attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport in August.The warning from a German intelligence chief comes as Russia carries out strikes across Ukraine and on a Turkish civilian boat in the Black Sea.Germany is at risk of entering a violent conflict as Moscow steps up an increasingly aggressive "shadow war" against European democracies, its head of foreign intelligence has warned.The ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia is now in its fifth year, with Ukraine and allies increasingly concerned about the tactics Russia may employ to gain an advantage."The confrontation we are facing with Russia has taken on a new, more dangerous dimension," Martin Jaeger, head of Germany's Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), told the annual public hearing of intelligence chiefs in parliament."Germany is in danger of becoming embroiled in a violent conflict with Russia — the attempted attack in Leipzig is just one example," he said.He described Russia as "waging a shadow war" with the threat of attacks against targets in Germany remaining "real and imminent".German authorities have warned repeatedly that Russia is conducting a hybrid campaign of drone and cyber attacks, and have blamed it for an attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport in August.President Vladimir Putin last week said Russia had "no intention of attacking anyone … but if we are subjected to aggression, we will have no choice but to respond".Mr Jaeger, however, said Moscow was prepared to use force to achieve its goals, and that Russian intelligence services' operations in and against Germany were "increasingly aggressive"."Russia is putting us to the test and closely watching how we handle this situation. From the perspective of the Kremlin leadership, any sign of wavering invites them to further increase the pressure on Germany."Mr Jaeger's confronting assessment came as Russia continued to carry out strikes on targets in Ukraine and the Black Sea.A Russian air strike hit a Ukrainian sewing factory in Kharkiv on Monday. (Reuters: Sofiia Gatilova)Three people were killed and 25 injured in an attack in Kharkiv on Monday, in what a local mayor said was a strike on residential buildings and warehouses.One person was also killed and another wounded after a drone attack on a Turkish-owned civilian vessel in the Black Sea, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy."A horrific strike by two Russian drones on a civilian vessel in neutral waters carrying corn and owned by Türkiye. Azerbaijani and Indian citizens were on board," he wrote on X.Reuters