Nico Lange, a former Bundeswehr officer and senior adviser at the German defence ministry, told Dennik that the recent spate of sabotage incidents marks a turning point in Moscow's campaign against Europe. He said the use of military‑grade explosives in the Leipzig airport drone plot and the discovery of a secret weapons cache near Berlin demonstrate that Russia no longer hides behind "hybrid war" rhetoric, it simply sees itself at war with the West.

Pattern of attacks spreads across the continent

According to Lange, the incidents in Germany are part of a broader strategy aimed at undermining the defence industries of NATO members that support Ukraine. He cited Danish intelligence warnings about arson plots targeting the country's arms sector and a Polish attempt to sabotage a drone‑manufacturing plant. "All these actions fit a pattern of Russian activity around the defence industry and in states that back Kyiv," he explained.

In Germany, the list of alleged Russian‑linked events has grown rapidly: a drone laden with explosives was discovered at Leipzig airport in early June; a concealed weapons depot, allegedly used by Russian intelligence, was found near the capital; suspected arson targeted an arms manufacturer in Munich; and unexplained damage was reported at several power stations. While the exact number of incidents remains contested, the German interior ministry has now officially attributed the Leipzig drone attack, and, by extension, the wider series, to Moscow.

Leipzig incident as a red line

Lange argues that the Leipzig case is the first time the German government has publicly named Russia as the perpetrator of a specific sabotage act. Interior minister Alexander Dobrindt and foreign minister Johann Wadephul announced the attribution at a press conference, a move Lange describes as "the right approach, not to see this as a series of isolated incidents, but as a system of Russian attacks".

He adds that the real breakthrough was the use of "military‑grade explosives" that almost detonated, turning what could have been a minor disruption into a potential catastrophe. "The notional red line was crossed by the use of such explosives and the fact that it almost ended in disaster," Lange said. "The genuinely new element is that the German government finally found the courage to attribute responsibility to Russia."

Implications for German defence and public safety

For a country that spends roughly 1.4 % of its gross domestic product on defence, well below the NATO target, the threat of covert attacks raises questions about the adequacy of current security arrangements. Lange warned that the incidents expose "counter‑intelligence gaps on NATO's eastern flank" and that Germany's ability to protect critical infrastructure remains uneven.

He stressed that the attacks are not merely symbolic. Sabotage of power stations, for example, could trigger blackouts that affect hospitals, schools and public transport, disproportionately harming ordinary citizens. "Everyone is obsessed with escalation and likes to talk about it, but it cannot be escalation if you are defending yourself against an attack," he told Dennik, underscoring the need for a robust defensive posture.

What Moscow hopes to achieve

Lange believes the Russian strategy aims to erode confidence in European security guarantees and to pressure governments that supply weapons to Kyiv. By targeting the supply chain of arms manufacturers and critical utilities, Moscow hopes to create a climate of fear that could sway public opinion against further aid to Ukraine.

He noted that the Kremlin's official narrative dismisses the term "hybrid war". From Moscow's perspective, the conflict is a conventional war waged on multiple fronts, using both military and non‑military means. "From the Russian side there is no such thing as 'hybrid war'. It is simply war, which is ongoing all the time," Lange said.

European response and the way forward

Across the EU, member states have begun to coordinate intelligence sharing more closely, but Lange warns that bureaucratic inertia and divergent threat assessments still hamper a unified response. He calls for a "European counter‑hybrid strategy" that would combine stronger border controls, enhanced cyber‑defence, and increased funding for domestic security services.

Trade unions have voiced concern that the growing security threat could lead to higher costs for workers, especially if companies raise prices to cover additional security measures. At the same time, industry groups argue that tighter regulations could impede innovation in sectors such as drone technology, which are vital for Europe's green transition.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government has pledged to boost defence spending and to modernise the Bundeswehr, but critics say the pace of reform is too slow. "We need to translate rhetoric into concrete resources for the police, the federal criminal office and the intelligence services," Lange urged.

In the short term, the interior ministry plans to increase patrols around critical infrastructure and to launch a public awareness campaign warning of potential sabotage. The federal prosecutor's office has opened a special investigation into the Leipzig incident, and several suspects are reportedly under surveillance.

While the immediate danger may have been averted, Lange cautions that the pattern of attacks is likely to continue as long as the war in Ukraine drags on. "If Russia sees that its covert actions have an impact, it will keep testing the limits," he warned. "Europe must be ready to defend not only its borders but also the everyday lives of its citizens."