The number of attacks on substations and railway lines in Germany has increased, raising concerns among experts. On Tuesday morning, unknown perpetrators attempted to attack the power supply near the coal-fired power plant at Jänschwalde in Brandenburg, partially succeeding. Later that evening, a substation near Cologne experienced a disruption believed to be an act of sabotage. On Wednesday, an explosion occurred near the railway station in Augsburg, attributed to a hand grenade, according to investigators.
In the early hours of Thursday, incendiary devices were thrown onto a construction site in Munich, near several defense companies. A suspicious object was also found at a power substation in Dormagen, between Cologne and Düsseldorf, with investigators reporting a claim of responsibility.
While the perpetrators of the attacks in Jänschwalde, Cologne, and Augsburg remain unknown, authorities in Munich have arrested at least two suspects, reportedly Bulgarian nationals. These incidents appear to target critical infrastructure, including energy facilities and defense contractors.
According to media reports citing an internal document, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has recorded 160 potential acts of sabotage and over 700 suspicious drone sightings this year. The rapid succession of these incidents has contributed to a growing sense of threat among the public.
Residents in Berlin expressed their concerns, with one woman stating, "Fear. I was just talking about it with a colleague. It makes me feel very uneasy." Another man remarked on the need to recognize the situation, linking it to Russia.
Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced that the German government believes Russian actors were behind a recent attempted drone attack on Halle/Leipzig Airport. In response, Germany closed the Russian consulate in Bonn and ended the lease on the Russian House in Berlin, leading to retaliatory actions from Moscow.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz noted the current state of relations with Russia, stating, "We are no longer at peace, but neither are we at war." Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Germany has supported Ukraine both financially and militarily, despite maintaining that it is not a party to the war.
Sönke Marahrens, a colonel in the German armed forces, emphasized the need for Germany to prepare for hybrid warfare, which may include sabotage and attacks on critical infrastructure. He noted that while the situation is serious, it should not be immediately attributed to Russia.
Earlier this year, an unsolved attack on a cable bridge in Berlin caused significant power outages, with suspicion falling on far-left extremists.
The German government has been debating how to better prepare for such attacks, passing legislation known as "KRITIS" aimed at strengthening the protection of critical infrastructure, though it has yet to take effect. Herbert Reul, the interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, stated that while video surveillance of critical facilities is possible, the responsibility for securing these areas lies with local authorities.
Reul also stressed the need for companies to invest in their own security measures, a sentiment echoed by Heiko Teggatz, chairman of the German Police Union (DPolG), who stated that safeguarding critical infrastructure is primarily the responsibility of the operators themselves.