Germany’s Secret Plan for War With Russia

 

A classified blueprint shows why weapons or troop numbers alone may not decide the outcome of a broader conflict between Moscow and the West

“Look at the map,” said Tim Stuchtey, head of the nonpartisan Brandenburg Institute for Society and Security. 

With the Alps forming a natural barrier, North Atlantic Treaty Organization troops would have to cross Germany in case of a clash with Russia, he added, “regardless of where it might start.”

At a higher level, the plan is the clearest manifestation to date of what its authors call an “all-of-society” approach to war. This blurring of the line between the civilian and military realms marks a return to a Cold-War mindset, but updated to account for new threats and hurdles—from Germany’s decrepit infrastructure to inadequate legislation and a smaller military—that didn’t exist at the time.

German officials have said they expect Russia will be ready and willing to attack NATO in 2029. 

But a string of spying incidents, sabotage attacks and airspace intrusion in Europe, many of them attributed to Moscow by Western intelligence, suggest it could be preparing to pounce sooner.

Bertrand Benoit WSJ Nov. 26, 2025

https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/germany-russia-war-nato-secret-plan-8ce43a8d