Germany is conducting an investigation into alleged sabotage by Russia in connection with attempts to poison drinking water at two military bases.
Points of attention
- Germany is investigating alleged sabotage by Russia in connection with attempts to poison drinking water at military bases in Cologne-Van and Heilenkirchen.
- NATO representatives and German politicians suspect Russia of interference and express concern about potential security threats.
- Sabotage in Germany is believed to be part of Russia's hybrid war strategy, with detailed investigations underway to determine Russia's alleged involvement.
- Incidents of attempted poisoning of drinking water at military bases in Germany raise serious security concerns and prompt heightened vigilance.
- Alleged incident in Cologne, a hub for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's planes, is under scrutiny to ascertain possible Russian involvement according to officials.
What is known about alleged Russian diversions to poison water at military bases in Germany
According to the journalists of the publication, the targets of Russian sabotage could be the military bases in Cologne-Van and the NATO airfield in Heilenkirchen.
According to Bundeswehr spokesman Ulrich Vonrobert, a hole was cut in the fence around the Cologne base during the night.
They could not identify those involved in the incident, but the warning system detected "abnormal indicators" of water quality.
What senior NATO officials and German politicians say
The NATO representative in Heilenkirchen, Donny Demmers, said that on the evening of August 13, an unknown person tried to gain access to the facility, but was prevented by security.
Since we are aware of what happened in Cologne, we checked our water supply facilities. No attackers had access to them, Demmers added.
According to the head of the defense committee in the lower house of the Bundestag, Markus Faber, the suspected sabotage concerns the facility in Cologne, which serves as a hub for the planes of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and representatives of his cabinet.
Further investigation will show whether my initial suspicions that Russia is behind this will be confirmed, - said Faber.
The head of the parliamentary committee Konstantin von Notz, who oversees the intelligence services of Germany, issued a new warning about Russia's increased hybrid warfare after a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
