German Intelligence Warns of Russia Testing NATO's Unity Through Hybrid Tactics

Germany’s spy chief cautions that Moscow could exploit hybrid warfare to challenge NATO’s Article 5 defense clause, potentially escalating tensions with the alliance.

• Bruno Kahl, head of Germany's BND intelligence service, highlighted the growing threat of Russian hybrid tactics, including cyberattacks and misinformation campaigns, against NATO nations.
• Kahl warned that Russia might test NATO's commitment to Article 5 by staging limited interventions under the guise of protecting Russian minorities in member states like the Baltics.
• The German intelligence chief emphasized that while no immediate plans for a Russian attack on NATO are evident, Moscow's military buildup and battle-hardened forces could enable such actions by the end of the decade.
• Russia's goal, according to Kahl, would be to undermine NATO's unity and credibility, particularly by creating doubt over whether Article 5 would be invoked in the event of an attack.
• Concerns over Russian interference in Germany's upcoming snap election and retaliatory diplomatic actions, such as the expulsion of journalists, further underscore rising tensions between Moscow and NATO members.

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