A German military base next to Cologne airport had to be sealed off temporarily on Wednesday, August 14th, and soldiers were told not to drink tap water. The military is investigating whether an act of sabotage was committed, with media reports pointing the finger at Russia.
A guard detected a hole in the fence near the water processing plant of the barracks early on Wednesday morning, and a search was conducted but no trespassers were found. However, according to internal reports from within the German army, the Bundeswehr, someone suspicious had been spotted near the fence around the barracks, but fled after being discovered.
The water supply was interrupted as the drinking water system showed “abnormal readings,” the Territorial Command said. Soldiers and civilians were told not to drink tap water under any circumstances. The barracks, which reopened in the afternoon, will be supplied with water by canister until test results are available. Airport police received several reports of gastrointestinal problems but it is unclear whether these are related to the possibly contaminated tap water.
The military base has 4,300 soldiers and 1,200 civilian employees. It is home to the fleet of military aircraft used for travel by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his ministers, and it is also an important hub for military support for Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers trained in Germany regularly return to Ukraine from the base.
A NATO base in nearby Geilenkirchen, housing AWACS surveillance planes, raised its security level after the Wednesday incident in Cologne. A suspicious person had attempted to enter that base, too, on Tuesday, but a security guard prevented them from doing so.
There was no indication of who might have gained illegal access to the Cologne base, but NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in June that recent acts of sabotage and cyberattacks were the work of Russian intelligence. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser also warned of growing espionage and cyber threats from foreign adversaries including Russia, China and Iran.
Russian saboteurs were allegedly behind an arson attack in May on a Berlin factory owned by German metal manufacturer Diehl, which manufactures air defence systems used by Ukraine.
Foreign adversaries are not Germany’s only problem. As investigators search for clues regarding the possible sabotage in Cologne, activists of the climate hysteria group Letzte Generation have once again blockaded several airports, glueing themselves on Thursday to runways in Berlin, Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Cologne. Protesters held up banners reading “Oil kills.”
Letzte Generation (Last Generation), which is mostly active in Germany, has severely disrupted the lives of everyday citizens by organising protests to raise awareness about climate change. They have also disrupted air traffic on several occasions in recent years.
They proudly boasted about their most recent actions on social media platform X, highlighting the fact that a number of flights had to be cancelled because of their actions.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser condemned the protests, calling them “dangerous and stupid.” The activists not only risked their own lives but also endangered the lives of others, she added.
The German government recently decided to amend the Aviation Security Act, making it possible in the future to punish with up to two years in prison anyone who forcibly enters an airport and “impairs the security of civil air traffic.”
