Phone recordings, military base hacking and assassination plots: Is Germany about to enter a new Cold WarAnd 'Putin will not be allowed to bring terrorism to Germany'
Jessica Parker
Post, BBC News
August 20, 2024
i) The discovery of mysterious holes in the barbed wire in military bases.......
ii) The alleged plan to kill the owner of the largest arms manufacturing company in Germany....
iii) Recording of telephone calls of persons in high positions.....
This is not an excerpt from a 1960s detective novel, but a reflection of real-life events in Germany that year.
All these incidents cannot be directly blamed on Russia, but Germany, which continues to provide continuous military support to Ukraine, is on constant alert for any possible sabotage by Russia.
The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine is raising fears that Europe may become part of a new Cold War.
"When we think of the Cold War, we think of the 1970s when the rules and regulations for had gone and been accepted.'
"It looks like the 1950s and 1960s are the beginning of the Cold War."
But what does the apparent resumption of the Cold War mean for Europe's largest economy and a country divided by the 'Iron Curtain'?
The biggest news story last month was that CNN reported that US officials had informed Berlin of an alleged plot to assassinate the chief executive of Germany's largest arms manufacturer, Rheinmetall.
The Kremlin denied the report, but German Foreign Minister Annalina Bierbach, who takes a harder line than Chancellor Olaf Scholtz, criticized Russia, accusing it of launching a "hybrid war and aggression."
I met Armin Peiger, CEO of Rheinmetall, at the inauguration of a new arms factory in February.
A fence around a water storage area at a German military base was found cut
'Putin will not be allowed to bring terrorism to Germany'
Standing alongside German Chancellor Scholtz, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Armin Peiger's strong position was clear to all.
Their importance increases in the context of NATO countries spending billions of dollars to increase Ukraine's defense capabilities.
If the plot to kill him had succeeded, there would have been an uproar in Western countries.
Due to a security lapse, spies were soon able to eavesdrop on highly sensitive conversations between senior German air force personnel, which were later broadcast on Russian TV.
However, it was embarrassing for Germany that an Air Force Brigadier General appeared to allow spies to use an unsecured line.
Not long after, two German-born Russian citizens were arrested for involvement in a plot to sabotage American military installations in Bavaria.
German Foreign Minister Annale Bierbach summoned the Russian ambassador to complain and declared that "we will not allow Putin to bring his terrorism to Germany."
Just last week, holes were found in the fence around the facility that supplies water to two military bases in North Rhine-Westphalia, raising fears that someone was trying to contaminate the supply.
Rheinmetall chief Armin Peiger (left) with German chancellor and Danish prime minister in February
Germany is not the only European country to be the target of apparent acts of sabotage, but there are several US military bases that were established there after World War II.
Mark Galiotti believes that Russia sees Moscow as a major but 'weak' power and therefore easily puts pressure on it.
By far the biggest sabotage to damage Germany in recent years was the 2022 blow-up of the Nord Stream gas pipelines running under the Baltic Sea from Russia.
There has been speculation ever since as to who ordered the attack, but in a dramatic development, Germany has now issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian diving instructor.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the operation was secretly funded but overseen from Ukraine.
The report was dismissed as unwarranted by Keo. However, there have always been doubts about why President Putin would order the destruction of his own pipeline. It shows how many twists and turns can be found in the dark world of espionage.
New German government law
Despite all the skepticism, not every sabotage incident can be immediately attributed to Russia.
The attack on the country's high-speed rail network during the Olympics in France was not blamed on the Russians, but on far-left activists.
Germany has a long history of attacks by left-wing militants.
The fact that the involvement of the Nord Stream explosions is now attracting attention of Ukrainian figures.
Inside Germany, the government's support for Keo has fueled fresh criticism from political wings familiar with the situation.
Else Weidel, co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Deutschland, has called for Kio to freeze aid payments and blame Ukraine for the damage to Nord Stream.
Therefore, as the fear of Cold War is felt hovering over the security of Europe, in the same way, unexpected new changes are taking place in the politics of Germany.
In an effort to further strengthen its security, the German government is working on a new law aimed at increasing the resilience of critical infrastructure.
German Interior Minister Nancy Fesser says there must be "maximum security measures in all areas".
Operators in key sectors such as energy, transport and water will have to adhere to minimum safety standards under the CRATES Umbrella Act.
It is the first federal law of its kind in Germany, but has yet to receive final approval despite growing tensions surrounding the war.
German-made armored vehicles are reportedly being used in Ukraine's surprise operation on Russian borders.
Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea from Russia blown up in 2022
At a time when Russia is attacking Ukraine with full force, this move by Germany is leading to more flexibility in German foreign policy.
Add to that the US's controversial plans to install long-range missiles in Germany from 2026.
When Russia launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine, Chancellor Schulz promised major changes in national defense and security policy.
But supporters and critics of the government alike acknowledge that reversing years of underinvestment in defense will take time - as will adjusting to a mindset influenced by Germany's dark past.
Given recent developments, there is a question mark over Berlin's tenure.
Mark Galiotti says it's not just rebuilding defenses, but upgrading cybersecurity and improving counterintelligence.
"Security planning is not done in weeks or months, but in years."
Related Topics,
#Ukraine #Ukraine-Russia conflict #Europe #World War II #Russia #war
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