How vulnerable is Germany's infrastructure?
The growing number of attacks on substations and railway lines in Germany is raising concern. Experts say that people will have to get used to the likelihood that such incidents will continue.
Germany's critical infrastructure, including energy facilities, railways, strategic companies, and defense contractors, has been targeted in a series of recent attacks. Unknown perpetrators struck the power supply near a coal-fired power plant in Jänschwalde, Brandenburg, and a substation near Cologne. An explosion occurred near Augsburg's railway station, caused by a hand grenade, while incendiary devices were thrown onto a construction site in Munich.
A suspicious object was found at a power substation in Dormagen, between Cologne and Düsseldorf. While the perpetrators remain unclear, at least two Bulgarian nationals were arrested by Munich investigators.
These attacks, which target critical infrastructure, can hardly be entirely protected. According to media reports, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) recorded 160 potential acts of sabotage and over 700 suspicious drone sightings this year. The wave of attacks has created a sense of constant threat among the public. DW spoke to Berlin residents, with one woman expressing fear and unease, while a man emphasized the need to recognize the ongoing attacks.
The attacks have heightened tensions between Germany and Russia, with the German government accusing Russian actors of behind the incidents. This led to the closure of Russia's consulate general in Bonn and the ending of the Russian House in Berlin's lease. However, Moscow retaliated by shutting down Germany's Goethe-Institut in Moscow. Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Germany is no longer at peace, but neither is it at war.
Germany has been supporting Ukraine financially and militarily since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, despite maintaining an official stance of neutrality. The Bundeswehr has undergone rapid rearmament due to concerns that Russia may pose a threat to Central Europe. Colonel Sönke Marahrens, a security expert at Kiel University, believes Germans should prepare for this new form of confrontation.
He highlighted the concept of hybrid warfare, which encompasses sabotage, disinformation, and attacks on critical infrastructure.
While some incidents, such as an attack on a cable bridge in southwest Berlin, have been attributed to far-left extremists, the cause of the recent attacks remains unclear. The German government passed legislation known as KRITIS to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure, but it has yet to enter into force. Interior Minister Herbert Reul noted that critical facilities can be monitored through video surveillance, but securing surrounding areas lies with authorities like the police.
He also emphasized that companies must invest more in protecting their facilities, as video surveillance measures face sensitivity regarding civil liberties and data protection concerns.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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