A German military base near Cologne, known as the Cologne-Wahn barracks, was temporarily closed on Wednesday due to suspicions of water supply sabotage. The closure was prompted by the discovery of a hole in a fence leading to the base’s waterworks. The base employs approximately 5,500 personnel, including 4,300 soldiers and 1,200 civilians.
Military spokesman Ulrich Fonrobert stated that the barracks were shut down as a precautionary measure to ensure that no intruders remained on the premises. Despite extensive searches, no perpetrators were found. While the base has since reopened, the drinking water system remains shut down for safety reasons.
The incident is being taken seriously, with investigations led by police, military police, and military counterintelligence services (MAD).
In a related incident, the security level at a NATO air base in Geilenkirchen, also in western Germany, was heightened due to similar concerns about potential sabotage. However, after checking the water condition, the air base was not sealed off.
These incidents have heightened concerns about possible sabotage activities in Europe, particularly in light of recent warnings from NATO regarding potential malign activities by Russia. NATO has previously expressed concern over possible sabotage, acts of violence, and other hybrid operations carried out by Moscow.