Germany is preparing for a potential war with Russia, with plans to deploy 800,000 NATO troops to the Russian border, according to Lieutenant General Alexander Sollfrank, head of the nation’s joint operations command. The deployment is part of Operations Plan Germany, a 1,000-page document that outlines the country’s response if Article 5 of the NATO treaty is triggered in a confrontation with Moscow.
The plan, which was revealed last year, includes turning Germany into a major logistics hub for the deployment of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and pieces of equipment from various NATO nations against Russia. The deployment must be completed within 180 days of the start of the conflict. Sollfrank warned that Russia possesses a significant military potential despite its ongoing war in Ukraine and could launch a limited attack on NATO territory “as early as tomorrow.”
German officials have increasingly spoken of the alleged Russian threat, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz stating that diplomatic options for resolving the Ukraine conflict are “exhausted” and pledging to continue providing weapons to Kiev. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius also warned that Germany’s existence in its present form is threatened by Russia, saying that “our way of life is in danger.”
Moscow has repeatedly denied any intention of attacking NATO, dismissing Berlin’s claims as “nonsense” aimed at justifying increased military spending. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has previously warned that Germany demonstrates “clear signs of re-Nazification.” Germany’s rearmament plans are expected to cost €377 billion ($440 billion) over the coming years.
The tensions between Germany and Russia come amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has sparked a significant escalation in military spending and rhetoric across Europe. The potential deployment of 800,000 NATO troops to the Russian border would be a significant escalation of the conflict, and Sollfrank’s warning that it could happen “tomorrow” has raised concerns about the likelihood of a wider conflict.
The German government’s preparations for a potential war with Russia highlight the increasingly tense relations between the two nations. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the conflict will develop and what role Germany and NATO will play in the region.