Merz warns of more Russian hybrid attacks as he reaffirms support for Ukraine

BERLIN, Oct 1 - Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned on Thursday that Germany faced more hybrid attacks from Russia as he pledged to continue support for Ukraine ahead of what is likely to be its harshest winter since the start of Russia's invasion in 2022.

German authorities have warned repeatedly that Russia is conducting a hybrid campaign of drone and cyber attacks, accusing Moscow of being behind an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport in August.

"We are preparing for further hybrid attacks, including serious ones," Merz said in a speech marking the award of the 2026 Westphalian Peace Prize to the NATO alliance.

Moscow has rejected the accusations from Western governments and intelligence services.

Speaking to a forum of Russia experts on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was not about to attack foreign factories that produce weapons for Ukraine but that this was something Russian intelligence services needed to track closely.

Merz and his conservatives have been badly weakened by elections in two eastern German states last month in which the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) triumphed.

The AfD has criticised Germany and its Western allies for supporting Ukraine with billions of euros in military aid. It wants to repair ties with Moscow and restore the flow of cheap oil and gas cut off since 2022.

Merz said Germany wanted to re-establish "stable, predictable relations with Russia" at an appropriate time, adding that there was no sign that Moscow was ready to end the war in Ukraine.

"We do not wish to humiliate the Russian people or destabilise the Russian state. But Russia must end the war and refrain from hybrid attacks on Europe," he said.

Merz, who has set aside hundreds of billions of euros to rebuild Germany's armed forces, said Ukraine was probably facing its harshest winter since the Russian invasion four years ago and that Germany, as the most powerful state in central Europe, had a particular responsibility to help.

"We are not mediators; we stand on the side of freedom, and that is why we stand on the side of Ukraine."

Merz said Germany and its allies could not allow themselves to be divided by hybrid attacks, social media campaigns or "the slogans of the AfD and its Russian backers". REUTERS