Latest news with #FederalIntelligenceService
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany's Merz may appoint ambassador to Ukraine as head of German intelligence
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is apparently preparing to replace the head of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and is considering Martin Jäger, the current German ambassador to Ukraine, for the position. Source: German newspaper Spiegel, citing its own sources, as reported by European Pravda Details: Initial signs of a leadership change at the intelligence agency emerged immediately after Merz's government took office. Spiegel has information that the replacement of the head of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service has already been informally agreed upon, with Martin Jäger expected to take up the post. He is currently serving as Germany's ambassador to Ukraine. The current BND chief, Bruno Kahl, who has held the position for eight years, is set to become ambassador to the Vatican. He supposedly showed interest in the role even before the collapse of the "traffic light coalition" in late 2024, and his request is now expected to be fulfilled. Under the German government's plans, the BND is set to receive increased funding in the coming years, along with more flexible operational capabilities. Merz's team believes that with Jäger as head of the intelligence service and Philipp Wolff as intelligence coordinator in the chancellor's office, the BND's effectiveness will increase significantly. Read more: Europe Will Stretch from Lisbon to Luhansk – Ukraine Will Be In, Russia Out: Interview with German Ambassador to Ukraine Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Euronews
a day ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Ambassador to Ukraine Jäger to become Germany's new spy chief
Martin Jäger, Germany's ambassador to Ukraine, is set to become the new head of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), German media reported on Wednesday, citing government sources. Jäger will replace Bruno Kahl as Germany's spy chief, with Kahl set to take up the ambassadorship to the Vatican. The German government has yet to officially confirm the change. Jäger is considered an experienced crisis diplomat due to his role as German ambassador to Ukraine, a post he has filled since 2023, the year after Russia's full-scale invasion of the country. He previously served as ambassador to Iraq and Afghanistan. In Germany, Jäger, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, worked as a spokesperson for the finance ministry, then headed by Wolfgang Schäuble. He also worked as state secretary in the Ministry of the Interior. The Federal Intelligence Service is subordinate to the chancellery and therefore under Friedrich Merz, who is authorised to appoint the president. The BND is tasked with collecting and evaluating information of foreign and security policy significance and supplying the federal government with reports and analyses. The BND is one of the few government agencies authorised to use intelligence services such as espionage. According to German outlets, the German government is planning a fundamental reorganisation of the intelligence service and wants to provide the BND with more funding. The BND is also to be given more flexibility in terms of spying abroad and technical reconnaissance, according to the domestic press.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Defence at 5pc or learn to speak Russian? Spasibo, Mr Rutte
The secretary general of Nato, Mark Rutte, has come to London as the head of the most powerful military alliance on the planet to remind us Brits that unless we re-invest in our military capabilities we had better start learning Russian. Had we not achieved a similar feat after the 'awakening' of 1940, we would now be talking German. The development of Hitler's Nazi Germany in the 1930s is so frighteningly similar to Putin's actions in the 2010s and 2020s as to make you think the same playbook is being followed. Appearing to almost directly address Ms Reeves – ahead of her spending review on Wednesday – Rutte said: 'If you do not go to the 5 per cent, including the 3.5 per cent for defence spending, you could still have the NHS … the pension system, but you better learn to speak Russian. That's the consequence.' Rutte means 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence – as opposed to Keir Starmer's only concrete target of 2.5 per cent – plus another 1.5 per cent on security and infrastructure. In some respects Rutte is wrong. There will be no welfare state and no NHS if Putin takes over. Just look at the fate of ordinary people in Russia who can barely afford to eat, and both inflation and interest rates north of 20 per cent and rising. That shows what life might be like under a modern Warsaw Pact. Mr Rutte realises that we cannot appease tyrants like Putin and the only way to scare them off is to show strength. 'We are deadly serious that if anyone tries to attack us, the consequences of that attack would be devastating – be it Russia or anyone else,' he said. We must not repeat the mistakes of our forebears in the 1930s, who failed to rearm to the level of deterrence. If we had realised that only total domination of Europe would satisfy Hitler, we would have confronted pressing demands at home for more welfare spending and avoided war – not by letting the aggressor have his way, as was famously attempted by Neville Chamberlain, but by being strong enough that Hitler would have avoided a confrontation. As history recalls, when Chamberlain returned from Munich saying he had chosen 'peace in our time', Winston Churchill rebuked him: 'You were given a choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war.' If we look realistically at what Putin has been telling us for the last 20 years we will understand that only the re-establishment of the old Soviet Union will satisfy him. The fact that none of those countries want to be part of Putin's Russia, means only one thing, as we are sworn to defend them under Nato Article 5: war. If we abandon them, we will be dishonoured – and we will be next, facing an enlarged empire with even greater resources. The Germans, realising belatedly the threat of another tyrant who wants to subjugate them, have issued a stark warning this week. Herr Bruno Kahl, head of the Federal Intelligence Service, said his agency had clear intelligence indications that Russian officials believed the collective defence obligations enshrined in the Nato treaty no longer had practical force. 'We are quite certain, and we have intelligence showing it, that Ukraine is only a step on the journey westward,' says Kahl. Secretary General Rutte is spot on. This message from a former European liberal politician may get many backs up here, but we cannot ignore it. History tells us he's right. Sadly we do not appear to have a Churchill among our modern day politicians to lead us through the coming confrontation with Putin. I know from comments added to my previous pieces on this subject in this paper that there appear to be some who want us to capitulate and give up without a fight. Most of them are clearly Russian bots, part of the massive Russian propaganda machine who would want us to do exactly that. But if people think life in Britain is bad now, look east and see the misery most Russians live under. Let us heed Rutte's warning, and in the immortal words of Donald Trump 'build baby build' military capability. Quite frankly if we fail to defend ourselves now, everything else vexing people at the moment will become horrifically irrelevant. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany's spy chief: Russians support Putin and his war
Bruno Kahl, President of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND), is convinced that the population of Russia largely supports their leader Vladimir Putin and his war against Ukraine. Source: Kahl in the Table Today podcast, as reported by European Pravda, citing German newspaper Handelsblatt Details: For a long time in the West, the idea was quite popular that Russia's war against Ukraine was "Putin's war" and that the Russian people did not really support it. "We have the impression that the entire Russian people are ready to follow Putin, that this war is necessary, and that evil NATO is the aggressor," Kahl said. "And that the war and, so to speak, the liquidation of this unjust regime in Ukraine are worthy of honour and glory for Russia," he added. Kahl believes that unwavering support for Putin is explained by the fact that the Kremlin leader controls the entire propaganda apparatus. This allows him to "manipulate the entire country, from west to east, in this direction". Although "within the circles of power and politics, there are somewhat different opinions about whether this or that move in the war is sensible or less sensible," Kahl emphasised, saying "there is no opposition that would in any way stand in Putin's way". Background: Kahl also believes that Russia intends to test NATO's resolve, in particular by expanding its confrontation with the West beyond Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that Russia is building up its military potential and will be ready to use military force against NATO states within five years. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
We know Russia is plotting to invade Nato – Ukraine is just the beginning for Putin, says Germany's ‘M' spy boss
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) VLADIMIR Putin has his evil eyes set on invading Nato with his invasion of Ukraine only just the beginning, Germany's spy boss has warned. Bruno Kahl, head of Berlin's Federal Intelligence Service, says his team have intel that Russia is plotting to test the resolve of the alliance in the coming years. 7 Bruno Kahl, head of Berlin's Federal Intelligence Service, says his team have intel that Russia is plotting to test the resolve of the alliance Credit: Alamy 7 A Russian drone strike on Kyiv overnight left dozens of residential buildings crumbling Credit: AP 7 Ukraine is often left battling to survive Putin's continued drone attacks Credit: Getty 7 A similar concerning message was made by Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday. He warned people in Britain 'better learn to speak Russian' if Sir Keir Starmer doesn't increase defence spending immediately. Rutte also said in a speech in London that Russia could be in a position to attack Nato by 2030. Europe is continuing to battle with Russia's increased aggression against Ukraine. Many Nato nations have imposed sanctions on the Kremlin to try and draw them towards the negotiating table to help end the war. This pressure has been mainly applied by Starmer, France's Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump. But Putin is yet to stop his nightly attacks. Russia directly attacked Kyiv with 315 drones and missiles and demolished large parts of the southern port of Odesa overnight. It is now believed that Vlad fires over 500 drone strikes every night across Ukraine. And Bruno Kahl fears this is only the start of Putin's sick plans to take over Europe. Satellite pics show Putin on the march as Russia masses troops 35 miles from Nato border with 2k soldiers & helicopters Kahl told Table Media this week: "We are quite certain, and we have intelligence showing it, that Ukraine is only a step on the journey westward. "That doesn't mean we expect tank armies to roll westwards but we see that Nato's collective defence promise is to be tested." Kahl believes twisted Russian officials want to see how the US would react to direct confrontations with fellow Nato members. These would all fall short of full military engagement but would give the Kremlin an insight into where Donald Trump stands. As part of the US's pact within Nato they have a mutual obligation alongside all other members to defend each other when under attack. This ruling comes under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. Kahl says one way this could be done is through Putin's "little green men" being shipped off to Estonia. During Russia's barbaric 2014 annexation of Crimea they took control of dozens of buildings and offices through the use of soldiers in unmarked uniforms and civilian clothes. Moscow initially denied the men's identities which meant they became known as "little green men". What is Nato? THE North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is a political and military alliance of countries from North America and Europe. It was founded in 1949 to counter the Soviet Union with Cold War tensions rising. Among articles in its found treaty is the principle of collective defence - the idea that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all of them. Nato takes decisions by consensus but the political and military strength of the United States means that it is by far the most powerful country in the alliance. Its nuclear arsenal is seen as the ultimate security guarantee. Nato has 31 members - most of them European nations, plus the United States and Canada. The newest member is Finland, which joined last April in reaction to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Sweden applied to join along with Finland but is waiting for Hungary to ratify its application as the final major step before membership. Kahl's beliefs have been echoed by the International Institute for Strategic Studies who say Putin may deploy his army onto a 'war footing' and try to test Nato by evoking Article 5. This could see Putin commit to an attack on Nato states in the Baltics. Poland and the neighbouring states have already been rumoured to be next on the despot's hit list should he ever get through a brave Kyiv. And worrying satellite images last month revealed how he is assembling Russian hardware, troops and building bases as little as 35 miles from the border with Finland. Photos show increased military activity at four locations inside Russia - Kamenka, Petrozavodsk, Severomorsk-2 and Olenya. Any attack could take place within two years of a ceasefire, IISS warns. Many of these fears stem from if the US and President Trump decide to withdraw support from Nato - leaving Europe to defend itself. 7 Vladimir Putin has his evil eyes set on invading Nato with his invasion of Ukraine only just the beginning, Germany's spy boss has warned Credit: EPA 7 Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte has warned Russia may attack again by 2030 Credit: Reuters 7
