In the event of a war with Russia, 800,000 NATO soldiers are to be deployed to the east to the front line, writes WSJ, citing the operational plan for the defense of Germany OPLAN DEU. The troops will have to cross German territory.
In the event of a war with Russia, 800,000 German, American, and other NATO troops are to be deployed to the east to the front line. This was reported on Wednesday, November 26, by the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing a 1,200-page "Operational Plan Germany" (abbreviated OPLAN DEU). This document was developed by a group of authors led by Lieutenant General André Bodemann, the chief of staff of the Bundeswehr's territorial defense, who has previously carried out missions in Kosovo and Afghanistan.
In the event of a confrontation with Russia—regardless of where it may start—the troops of the North Atlantic Alliance will have to cross German territory, noted Tim Stuchtey, director of the Brandenburg Institute for Society and Security.
Problems with the Modernization of Highways and Ports
Meanwhile, according to estimates from Berlin, 20% of highways in Germany and more than a quarter of the bridges over them need repairs due to chronic underfunding. Approximately 15 billion euros are required for repair work in the ports of Germany on the North and Baltic Seas, including 3 billion euros for the modernization of dual-use infrastructure, particularly in docks.
In the long term, Berlin plans to spend 166 billion euros on infrastructure projects by 2029. More than 100 billion euros will be invested in the railway network, with priority given to dual-use facilities.
Bundeswehr Conducts Briefings in Hospitals, Establishes Transit Routes
Against this backdrop, the Bundeswehr is conducting briefings in hospitals, police stations, and disaster response agencies, signing contracts with federal states and highway operators, and establishing transit routes for military convoys, WSJ writes.
OPLAN DEU Developed Since March 2023
The preparation of OPLAN DEU began in March 2023. This is the first comprehensive plan for ensuring the security of Germany and protection against military attacks since the "Cold War." Germany's critical infrastructure—ports, bridges, energy facilities—is under threat of sabotage, possibly even from Russian special forces, General Bodemann noted.
According to him, Germany's task is to be a logistics hub, establishing secure supply routes for the alliance's troops, while a significant portion of the Bundeswehr will need to move to the conflict zone in the event of rising tensions.
The Bundeswehr's plan identifies four main types of threats to Germany's national security: disinformation, through which the enemy will attempt to influence government decisions, public opinion, and the media; cyberattacks on energy, telecommunications, and other critical companies; espionage and sabotage.
"We are not at war, but we have long been out of a state of peace," stated Lieutenant General André Bodemann.
Bundeswehr General: Russia Could Strike NATO Territory as Early as Tomorrow
In early November of this year, Lieutenant General Alexander Sollfrank, head of the Bundeswehr's operational command, stated in an interview with Reuters that if Russia continues to arm itself, it will be capable of a large-scale attack on NATO by 2029.
"It is necessary to consider what Russia currently possesses and what it can do with it," Sollfrank said. "Based on this, Russia could strike NATO territory on a small scale as early as tomorrow." He pointed out that Moscow has been pursuing a strategic line for nearly 20 years to change the security architecture in Europe and continues to follow it despite enormous losses in the war against Ukraine. NATO can only counter this by establishing "clear red lines" and deterring the enemy through good preparation, according to the Bundeswehr general.
