Germany is quietly preparing for the possibility of a full-scale war with Russia, with military planners warning that hybrid attacks, sabotage and long-range missile strikes could cripple supply routes and overwhelm hospitals within just a few years. The grim scenario was outlined in an interview with Lieutenant General Gerald Funke, head of the German armed forces support command, published by Times UK.
Funke described a worst-case conflict in which Russia launches a full-scale aggression against NATO, forcing Germany into the centre of the response from the very first hours. In the scenario, a 4,800-strong mechanised infantry unit strikes from Lithuania, followed by 15,000 rapid-response troops being rushed to the front within days. Tens of thousands of allied soldiers would then arrive at German North Sea ports, to be moved east along roads and railways vulnerable to Russian sabotage and cyberattacks. Funke warned that the number of casualties could soar to hundreds a day, placing unprecedented strain on Germany’s hospitals—comparable to the worst days of the coronavirus pandemic.
The three-star general, who oversees a 55,000-strong support command, said he is planning for the possibility of “a thousand injured personnel a day,” a scale of casualties he described as difficult to imagine. His command, created as part of a major reorganisation of the Bundeswehr last year, is responsible for the logistical “turntable” that would keep the war effort running behind the front lines. This includes evacuating and treating the wounded, requisitioning resources from the private sector, and ensuring supplies and reinforcements reach the battlefield.
“What worries me … at the moment is the hybrid side, the covert side: sabotage, sleeper cells, some kind of targeted attacks,” Funke told Times UK. “I can’t rule out the use of long-range missiles. But I think the hybrid threat is very high.” He stressed the need for Germany to remain a functioning logistics hub, with multiple routes available if one is disrupted.
The interview highlights how Germany is attempting to revive Cold War-era planning and mobilise civilian society to support national defence. Funke said that without civilian support, Germany would not be able to defend itself. He noted that before reunification, West Germany maintained detailed plans for mobilising the population, the economy and logistics networks in wartime. That infrastructure fell into disuse during the “peace dividend” years, but Funke said it must be rebuilt.
In the event of war, he said British troops moving through Germany would likely arrive at ports such as Emden or Bremerhaven and be guided to the eastern flank. Along the way, they would need refuelling, rest, food and potentially medical care, all of which would rely heavily on civilian companies. Funke said the Bundeswehr is already working on contracts with private-sector partners to support this mobilisation.
Medical planning is a major challenge. Germany’s five military hospitals have just 1,800 beds and could be quickly overwhelmed, prompting authorities to divide the civilian hospital network into four regions that can be reserved for military casualties. Surgeon General Johannes Backus has warned that many injuries would be unlike those typically seen in peacetime, including gunshot and blast wounds.
Legal constraints also complicate the preparations. Certain military measures can only be activated if two-thirds of MPs approve a “state of tension” or “state of national defence,” a requirement that may be difficult to meet in a fast-moving conflict amid a fragmented parliament. Funke acknowledged that the rigid division between peace and war is outdated in the age of hybrid warfare, but said the law still allows rapid action in the face of imminent danger.
The Bundeswehr has already begun large-scale exercises in Germany and across NATO allies, including drills simulating Russian drone attacks and medical evacuations. Funke said these exercises are designed not only to test military readiness but to condition German society for the reality of war.
“The disruption from Russian hybrid attacks was already part of ‘daily reality’ during these drills,” he said. “We have to be able to improvise. Putin isn’t going to say: ‘We’ll give you two days of peace and quiet to sort everything out.’”
