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Russia could be able to attack Nato by 2030: German intelligence

Russian armed forces are likely to be ‘capable of carrying out an attack against Nato by the end of the decade at the latest’

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Nato summit attendees’ shadows cast on a wall decorated with the Nato logo and flags. Photo: AFP
Russia is likely to be capable of launching an attack on Nato by 2030 and is ramping up efforts to disrupt Ukraine’s Western supporters through sabotage, German intelligence chiefs warned.
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Germany, Kyiv’s second biggest military backer behind only the United States, is itself being increasingly targeted by Russian spying and sabotage activities, they said.

“Whether we like it or not, we are in a direct confrontation with Russia,” BND foreign intelligence chief Bruno Kahl told a parliamentary hearing on Monday.

President Vladimir Putin’s long-term goal was to weaken the West, Kahl said, while a military clash with Nato was “becoming an option for Russia”.

“In terms of personnel and material, Russian armed forces are likely to be capable of carrying out an attack against Nato by the end of the decade at the latest,” Kahl said.

Nato headquarters in Brussels. Photo: AFP
Nato headquarters in Brussels. Photo: AFP
Kahl spoke at a hearing in the Bundestag alongside the heads of Germany’s domestic and military intelligence services, who took turns to warn of the growing threat from Russia against the backdrop of the invasion of Ukraine.
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