The German Defense Minister warned about the threat posed by Russian hybrid attacks.

As Pistorius noted, Russian President Vladimir Putin has a deep understanding of Germany and knows where to strike, with the country falling within his sphere of interest. As examples of potential targets for attacks, the head of the German Ministry of Defense highlighted the energy supply sector and particularly vulnerable infrastructure in the waters of the North and Baltic Seas.

The growing threat from hybrid warfare is particularly recognized by German wind energy companies, which are calling for the protection of their installations in open waters. Recently, industry representatives proposed more intensive patrolling of these waters to prevent sabotage and espionage. Stefan Timm, managing director of the Offshore Wind Energy Association, supported Poland's proposal for a special mission in the Baltic Sea. He stated to the dpa agency that the patrolling should be carried out by state authorities, as private companies cannot manage this on their own.

In an interview, Boris Pistorius also pointed out forms of hybrid warfare such as violations of airspace, referring to the potential unauthorized intrusion of drones. The minister also mentioned information campaigns on social media and the influence on electoral campaigns that Russia might use to sway public opinion. Furthermore, he categorized the funding of populist parties like "Alternative for Germany" and "The Alliance of Sarah Wagenknecht" as methods of hybrid warfare.

Russia has repeatedly denied accusations from Western countries regarding attempts to influence the course and outcomes of various electoral campaigns.

Pistorius emphasized the need to arm in order to counter potential attacks. "We must be prepared to confidently confront the Putin threat. If we ignore the threat because it makes us uncomfortable, it will not diminish; rather, it will grow," he concluded.

• In recent months, authorities in Western countries have repeatedly expressed assessments that a number of crimes in Europe, including arson at factories and critical infrastructure, as well as physical attacks, are linked to agents paid by Russia. Moscow, which continues its full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, denies these allegations.