(Alliance News) - German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Wednesday presented a new national military strategy, as Berlin responds to the rising threat from Moscow.

The Bundeswehr, Germany's military, is undergoing a programme of rearmament in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while the country reintroduced voluntary military service in January in an effort to boost troop numbers.

Pistorius's defence plan includes Germany's first military strategy and an analysis of the Bundeswehr's capabilities, setting out the organisation, structure and size of the armed forces.

While details are classified, Pistorius said the plans include "developing the Bundeswehr into the strongest conventional army in Europe."

The Defence Ministry in Berlin regards Russia as the main threat facing Germany.

"With its rearmament, it is preparing for a military confrontation with Nato and sees the use of military force as a legitimate instrument for asserting its interests," Pistorius said.

The strategy outlines Moscow's view of the West as fundamentally hostile and its portrayal of the accession of democratic countries to Nato as an encirclement.

The Russian government is therefore seen as aiming to weaken cohesion within the trans-Atlantic alliance and separate the US from Europe, ensuring the expansion of Russia's sphere of influence in Europe.

"Russia is creating the conditions for a military attack on Nato states," the military strategy warns.

The country is already conducting hybrid operations against Nato states, including Germany, employing espionage, acts of sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns to destabilize Europe.

Nato is aiming to boost its forces to 460,000 soldiers to counter Russian aggression.

Berlin's strategy sets out the importance of long-range precision weapons and air defence systems, but also the development of technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and robotics.

By Carsten Hoffmann (DPA)

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