Berlin – September 07, 2026 -- Hans-Werner Borries, deputy chairman of Germany's Federal Association for the Protection of Critical Infrastructure (BSKI), said security measures at critical infrastructure sites across Germany are currently inadequate to counter a new wave of suspected sabotage attacks on the power grid.
Borries Says Suspected Foreign-State Sabotage Marks Start of Pre-Hybrid Warfare Phase
Speaking on rbb24 Inforadio Thursday, Borries said that as long as even initial suspicion of foreign state-directed sabotage persists, infrastructure operators are operating in a phase of pre-hybrid warfare. He said protecting infrastructure assets is no longer straightforward, forcing companies to reassess whether current investment levels are sufficient.
Technical Fixes Would Raise Operator Costs Four To Six Times, BSKI Estimates
Borries said technical countermeasures exist in principle but would likely quadruple to sextuple costs for infrastructure companies. He said operators cannot absorb an increase of that scale under current conditions.
BSKI Calls For Nationwide Audit of Critical Infrastructure Security Standards
Despite the cost barrier, Borries said stronger protection is indispensable. He called for a comprehensive review of all critical infrastructure to determine whether existing security measures can withstand this category of threat, adding that current assessments show they cannot.