Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warns of a hybrid threat to Germany from more or less covert Russian warfare at the behest of the head of state Vladimir Putin. “Putin is attacking hybrids, and Germany is particularly in focus. He knows us well, Putin knows how to prick us,” the SPD politician told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
The Federal Ministry of Defense defines hybrid warfare as a “combination of classic military operations, economic pressure, computer attacks and even propaganda in the media and social networks”. The aim of the attackers is “not just to cause damage, but especially to destabilize societies and influence public opinion. Open, pluralistic and democratic societies offer many areas of attack and are therefore easily vulnerable.”
Warning also for AfD and BSW
Pistorius said it was important that Germany prepare for this. “We must prepare ourselves so that we can confidently confront Putin’s threat. If we ignore the threat because it makes us uncomfortable, it will not get smaller, but bigger.” It's about attacks on infrastructure and Energy supplyabout activities in the North and Baltic Seas as well as violations of rules in the airspace.
“In addition, there are campaigns on social media, the influencing of election campaigns and the financing of votes that, like the AfD and BSW, claim that we are not concerned with our own protection, but that we are heading towards a war with Russia,” said Pistorius. This was all part of Putin's strategy to unsettle and divide our society. “We must do everything we can to prevent Putin’s strategy from continuing.”
