German warships target of sabotage, navy chief warns
"Destruction" as a result of sabotage has been recorded "on more than one unit," Jan Christian Kaack said during a press conference in Berlin.
Kaack did not comment on a report by broadcasters WDR, NDR and the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper suggesting that a new corvette built in Hamburg had been targeted by sabotage ahead of its delivery to the navy.
According to the report, several kilograms of metal shavings were discovered in the drive of the corvette Emden during a check in January, which could have caused serious damage had it not been detected.
Besides attempted sabotage to navy vessels, navy commander Kaack reported of intrusions into naval bases from land and sea as well as attempts to approach soldiers in uniform on their way home.
"Our assessment: We are being tested," he said, without specifying who the navy thinks is behind these acts.
He spoke of attempts "to unsettle our society, both nationally and in the [NATO] alliance," adding the acts "are possibly creating the basis for later active military activities."
The German navy introduced measures to counteract acts of sabotage in 2022, including putting mine defence forces on higher readiness, according to the navy chief.
"The growing threat from Russia is more pressing at the beginning of 2025 than it was two years ago," Kaack said. "Experts and intelligence services agree that Russia will be in a position to seek conflict with NATO from 2029 onwards," he added.
Kaack said he had initiated a strategic expansion of current plans for the navy. "We have no time to lose. In the next few weeks, we will first coordinate the necessary measures internally and then make them public. We have a lot to do."
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