Germany warns Russia is using hybrid attacks and planning assassinations

Germany's domestic intelligence chief has accused Russia of using nearly all available means in hybrid attacks against the country and of planning assassinations on German soil. Sinan Selen said on Monday that Berlin expects further activity of this kind, including incidents similar to the drone case at Leipzig/Halle airport. The warning adds to a growing security dispute between Germany and Moscow amid wider European concern over hybrid threats.

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Selen did not provide details about the alleged assassination plans, and the intelligence service did not elaborate on who might be targeted or how such operations could be carried out. He said Russia was using "practically all the resources at its disposal" in hybrid attacks. Berlin also said it expects more incidents like the one in August at Leipzig/Halle airport, where explosive drones were found after a collision with an aircraft at the site.

The Leipzig/Halle case has already become a reference point in Germany's assessment of the threat environment. German authorities blamed Moscow for that incident, while the Kremlin rejected the accusation. The episode contributed to what German officials have described as a sharp escalation in tensions, and it has fed concern that hybrid activity could intensify further in the months ahead.

The latest warning matters because it places Germany at the centre of a broader European security debate over sabotage, covert operations and other forms of hybrid pressure. The issue is especially sensitive for NATO members that support Ukraine, as officials in several countries have warned that Moscow may be willing to widen the scope of such operations. Germany's comments also underline how intelligence assessments are increasingly shaping public debate about national security and the risk of direct confrontation.

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The remarks from Selen came alongside comments from Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who said Germany faces a "shadow war" with a reach greater than the Cold War and not limited to Russia alone. The head of Germany's foreign intelligence service, the BND, has also warned this month that the country could be at risk of entering a violent conflict with Moscow. Separately, the Czech intelligence service said Russia could resort in the coming months to more risky and larger-scale operations in NATO countries that support Ukraine.

What remains unclear is the nature of the alleged assassination plans, the intended targets and whether German authorities have disrupted any specific plot. Russia had not responded to the accusation by the time of the latest report. The key question now is whether Berlin will provide further evidence or whether the warning will remain part of a broader pattern of public alerts about hybrid threats.

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