German Navy Commander Jan Christian Kaack has reported cases of sabotage against Bundeswehr warships, emphasizing the growing threat from Russia.
Kaack’s remarks at a press conference in Berlin.
According to the German Navy commander, saboteurs have repeatedly caused targeted damage to warships in Germany. “The destruction, i.e. sabotage, occurred on more than one ship,” he said.
According to Kaack, there were also cases of invasion of naval bases from land and sea, as well as “attempts to approach” soldiers in uniform returning home.
“Our assessment is that we are being tested. They are trying to undermine our society, both at the national level and within the alliance. And, perhaps, they are creating the ground for further active military actions,” the commander added.
The military officer was responding to a request to comment on media reports about an incident on the Emden corvette built at a shipyard in Hamburg, which was being prepared for delivery to the Bundeswehr. According to media reports, during an inspection in January, several kilograms of metal shavings were found in the ship’s power plant. Had this not been discovered, it could have caused significant damage to the ship.
“Since the beginning of 2025, the threat from Russia has been more urgent than two years ago. Experts and intelligence services agree that Russia will be in a position to seek conflict with NATO from 2029,” Kaack said at the press conference.
In recent weeks, a number of sabotage attempts and subversive campaigns with a Russian trace have been reported in Germany, such as car arson allegedly organized on behalf of “eco-activists.”
In addition, drones have been repeatedly spotted flying over Bundeswehr bases and other military and strategic facilities.
