Germany at risk of violent conflict with Putin as war enters 'new, more dangerous' phase

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.

Already a member? Log in

Germany is at “danger ‌of becoming embroiled in a violent conflict with Russia ” as Moscow intensifies an increasingly aggressive “shadow war” against European democracies, the head of the country’s foreign intelligence service has warned.

Martin Jaeger, head of Germany’s Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), said the confrontation with Russia had entered a “new, more dangerous dimension”, as he addressed lawmakers at the annual public hearing of Germany’s intelligence chiefs on Monday.

“No other country currently poses such a direct, comprehensive and concrete threat to Germany,” Jaeger said.

“We did not seek this confrontation. Russia is forcing it upon us and sees us as a main adversary, because we refuse to accept its revisionist, expansionist policies and its war of aggression against Ukraine.”

Meanwhile, the Kremlin has threatened that Ukraine will “pay the price” after Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv would continue striking Russian oil refineries.

It came as German chancellor Friedrich Merz announced a further €1bn in military aid to Ukraine during a visit to Kyiv in a show of support for president Volodymyr Zelensky .

The military package includes long-range strike weapons, combat drones and satellite technology, "so that Ukraine can also target Russian launch pads," Merz said at a news conference.

Russia puts lives at risk across Europe with hybrid attacks, Kallas says

Russia is putting lives at risk across Europe with hybrid attacks, the EU’s foreign policy chief has said.

Speaking at a news briefing alongside Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, Kaja Kallas said: “Europe has seen a spike in the Russian hybrid attacks and sabotage attempts and airspace ⁠violations in recent weeks.

“Russian ​missiles ⁠and drones violated Moldovan airspace again over the weekend. And this is completely ⁠unacceptable.”

Germany has recently raised the alarm over an increasing number of hybrid attacks from Russia.

Authorities have accused Moscow of being behind an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport ‌in August.

India steps up Ukraine peace efforts as Ukraine calls proposal 'most comprehensive'

India has stepped up its involvement in efforts to end the war in Ukraine, holding talks with both Moscow and Kyiv on proposals ranging from protecting Black Sea shipping to halting attacks on energy infrastructure.

Foreign minister S Jaishankar said India had moved “beyond advocacy” in recent months and was now engaged in conversations with both Russia and Ukraine practical steps towards reducing hostilities.

“We got a little bit more involved beyond advocacy in the last few months,” Jaishankar said on Sunday.

He said discussions had begun with the safety of shipping in the Black Sea before expanding to grain and energy exports and possible “non-attack” arrangements.

His come after Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha revealed that Kyiv was considering four separate ceasefire proposals, describing India’s as the “most comprehensive”.

“We have four proposals. The most comprehensive is India’s proposal,” Sybiha told reporters in Kyiv, adding that India had for the first time signalled a willingness to play a more active role.

The other initiatives have come from Turkey, Egypt and the US. Türkiye and Egypt have proposed a Black Sea truce aimed at facilitating Ukrainian grain exports, while Washington has pushed for an agreement to halt attacks on energy infrastructure.

Kyiv has said it is prepared to consider an energy and Black Sea truce, but insists the two must be combined.

“We are ready for an energy and Black Sea truce, but only in this combination,” Sybiha said. He said such an agreement would require a complete halt to attacks on energy facilities, including port infrastructure.

Kremlin declines on report that Ukraine talks are linked to multi-billion dollar oil deal

The Kremlin on Monday declined to on a New ⁠York Times report that US-Russia talks on ending the war in ⁠ Ukraine ​have expanded ⁠to include a multibillion-dollar oil ⁠deal.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov ​said, ⁠however, that ‌energy cooperation was a topic of discussion ‌between Russian and ‌US negotiators.

The proposed deal, the New York Times ⁠reported on the weekend, would benefit Middle Eastern business executives with ties to US negotiators Steve Witkoff and ‌Jared Kushner, who ​have travelled multiple ‌times to ⁠Moscow to meet ⁠with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian air strikes targeted port infrastructure in Ukraine's Odesa region, governor says

Massive Russian air strikes targeted industrial and port infrastructure in Ukraine's ⁠Odesa region, governor Oleh Kiper said on the Telegram messaging app on Monday.

All ⁠of the ​fires ⁠caused have been extinguished so far, ⁠he added.

A Russian air strike ​on ⁠Kharkiv, Ukraine's ‌second-biggest city, killed one person and injured six others, ‌Mayor Ihor Terekhov said ‌on Telegram late on Sunday.

The Russian defence ministry ⁠said on Telegram it hit Vylkove port, fuel depot facilities in Chornomorsk and cargo vessels, all in the Odesa region, as ‌well as a ​power station in ‌the Kharkiv region, ⁠which it said ⁠were used for military purposes.

Zelensky vows Ukraine will strike Russian oil refineries after city bombardments

President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Ukraine intends to intensify strikes against Russian oil refineries following a fresh campaign of bombardment by Moscow aimed at driving citizens out of Kyiv and major urban centres, while avoiding non-military targets.

According to Zelensky, Ukrainian intelligence gathered documentation revealing that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has authorised a "new doctrine" expanding military strikes to encompass a significantly wider selection of non-military sites before winter sets in.

"We saw documents and we know that they allow them to attack infrastructure, logistics, and especially to attack in the cities, in the villages, everywhere, roads, schools, hospitals," Zelenskiy told Reuters in an interview. "To pressure people to leave the capital, leave different cities: this is the goal of the operation."

Zelensky vows Ukraine will strike Russian oil refineries after city bombardments

Kremlin warns Ukraine 'will pay the price' for strikes on Russian energy

Kremlin on Monday threatened that Ukraine will “pay the price” after Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv would continue striking Russian oil refineries.

It came as President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine intends to intensify strikes against Russian oil refineries following a fresh campaign of bombardment by Moscow aimed at driving citizens out of Kyiv and major urban centres, while avoiding non-military targets.

According to Zelensky, Ukrainian intelligence gathered documentation revealing that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has authorised a "new doctrine" expanding military strikes to encompass a significantly wider selection of non-military sites before winter sets in.

"We saw documents and we know that they allow them to attack infrastructure, logistics, and especially to attack in the cities, in the villages, everywhere, roads, schools, hospitals," Zelensky told Reuters in an interview.

"To pressure people to leave the capital, leave different cities: this is the goal of the operation."

Germany at risk of violent conflict with Putin, its spy chief warns

Germany is at risk of being drawn into a violent conflict with Russia as Moscow increasingly regards Berlin as a “main adversary”, the head of the country’s foreign intelligence service has warned.

Martin Jaeger, president of Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND), told parliament’s intelligence committee on Monday that the confrontation with Russia had entered a “new and more dangerous” phase.

“Germany is in danger of becoming embroiled in a violent conflict with Russia. The attempted attack in Leipzig is only one example of that,” Mr Jaeger said, referring to an attempted drone strike on a Ukrainian cargo plane in August.

The intelligence chief said Russia now represented the most significant direct threat facing Germany.

“No other country currently poses such a direct, comprehensive and concrete threat to Germany,” he said.

“We did not seek this confrontation. Russia is forcing it upon us and sees us as a main adversary, because we refuse to accept its revisionist, expansionist policies and its war of aggression against Ukraine.”

In photos: One killed and six injured in Russian strike in Kharkiv

A Russian ⁠air strike on ⁠Kharkiv, Ukraine's ​second-biggest ⁠city, ⁠killed ​one ⁠person ‌and injured another ‌six, mayor ‌Ihor ⁠Terekhov said on Telegram late ‌on Sunday.

Terekhov said an administrative building and vehicles were burning following the attack.

At least 10 multi-story residential buildings were damaged in the attack, and and rescue operations are ongoing.

Russia has reportedly launched Banderol missiles, part of its growing use of jet-powered loitering munitions that combine characteristics of cruise missiles and drones.

The Banderol’s speed, manoeuvrability and ability to fly at low altitudes can make it difficult for Ukrainian air defences to detect and intercept.

How deadlock in the Ukraine war is crippling global food prices

Global food prices could climb by more than nine per cent this year as a deadly escalation between Russia and Ukraine around the Black Sea threatens vital grain exports, analysts have warned.

Ukrainian exports fell an astonishing 75 per cent year-on-year in the first two weeks of August as Russia stepped up its attacks, striking ports more than 70 times in July and early August and hitting vessels on 62 occasions, according to port authorities.

Kyiv says the attacks threaten $40bn in crucial export revenue, worth 1.5 per cent of GDP, while hundreds of millions of people reliant on Ukrainian grain around the world stand to go without.

How deadlock in the Ukraine war is crippling global food prices

South Korea’s Lee threatens action against Ukraine as row over North Korean prisoners deepens

South Korean president Lee Jae Myung has threatened further action against Ukraine unless Kyiv apologises for publicly revealing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul.

Seoul and Kyiv have been locked in an escalating diplomatic dispute since Volodymyr Zelensky announced at the UN General Assembly last month that Ukraine had handed over two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting alongside Russian forces.

Lee said the transfer was covered by a confidentiality agreement and has accused Ukraine of breaching it. Kyiv has disputed Seoul’s account of the agreement.

“If the refusal to acknowledge the facts and issue a public apology continues, we will take additional measures,” Lee said on Friday, without specifying what action South Korea could take.

Zelensky addressed the transfer again on Sunday, saying Seoul had asked Kyiv to hand over the soldiers.

“South Korea asked us to give them North Korean soldiers. By the way, according to their constitution, they are their citizens ... so we gave them these two guys,” he told reporters.

He did not refer to Lee’s demand for an apology or the South Korean president’s threat of further measures.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies