According to Der Spiegel and Bild, key highways would be at NATO’s full disposal in case of a conflict with Russia
The German Defense Ministry has drawn up contingency plans for a potential military conflict with Russia, Der Spiegel and Bild have reported. The document reportedly envisages Germany serving a key role as a transit state for NATO troops, with its population and civil services being expected to assist foreign military personnel.
Last month, the German government officially updated its wartime guidelines for the first time since 1989, which now include such measures as mandatory conscription and forcing manufacturers to produce war goods.
In its report on Friday, Der Spiegel alleged that under the classified ‘Operational Plan Germany’ (OPLAN DEU), the country should be able to arrange the transfer of 800,000 NATO troops and approximately 200,000 vehicles, including tanks and other hardware, from ports in the Netherlands and Belgium to the East, within three to six months. Several key highways would supposedly be used for this purpose, meaning that they would be closed to civilian traffic. Local communities would be expected to supply the passing military personnel with food, housing, resting areas, and fuel, both media outlets claimed.
Der Spiegel quoted Ralph Tiesler, president of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance, as predicting that “enemy actors could take measures to hamper or slow down the movement of NATO troops,” be it through sabotage or a missile strike. German police and emergency services would reportedly have to prioritize protecting these key routes and eliminating the consequences of any attack on them.
According to Bild, citing a Defense Ministry spokesperson, aside from its role as NATO’s logistical hub, Germany would also need to establish a major prisoner-of-war camp on its soil should a military confrontation with Russia break out.
The two media outlets quoted Bundeswehr Inspector General Carsten Breuer as estimating that Berlin has until 2029 to get ready for a potential military conflict with Moscow, as Russia could supposedly be in a position to attack NATO by then.
Local communities are already making provisions and holding drills for this worst-case scenario. According to Der Spiegel, citing the mayor of an unnamed town, locals have not shown any enthusiasm regarding the efforts.
“Only a few have so far comprehended what the ‘turn of eras’ means,” the media outlet quoted the official as saying.
While multiple NATO member states have claimed in recent months that Russia is harboring plans to attack the US-led military bloc, Russian President Vladimir Putin last month dismissed such allegations as “nonsense” and “bulls**t.” He suggested that those pushing such narratives have “gone completely insane.”
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