BERLIN — Germany is developing plans to ensure that hundreds of thousands of troops could move along an arterial highway transiting much of the nation in the event of a war with Russia, one leading national newspaper has reported.
Der Spiegel reported—citing a “secret document” obtained by the newspaper—that Berlin expects some 800,000 German and allied NATO troops to use its ports, highways, and railways to head eastwards if the West’s simmering showdown with Russia turns hot in the near future.
The Western response force would need to be deployed—along with a huge number of weapons, other equipment, and around 200,000 vehicles—within three to six months, the newspaper wrote, with many arriving via Germany’s North Sea ports before heading towards likely eastern battlefields.
The A2 highway—running around 300 miles from the western city of Oberhausen all the way to the outskirts of Berlin in the east of the country, close to the Polish border—would be a vital part of this mass mobilization, Der Spiegel reported.
That route includes several bridges, which the newspaper noted would be prime targets for Russian missile attacks in the event of war. Such strikes could delay NATO’s mobilization efforts significantly, hence Berlin is already planning alternative routes and contingencies including temporary bridges, Der Spiegel reported.
Plans are being put in place to house, resupply, and feed hundreds of thousands of allied troops passing through Germany. Convoys, Der Spiegel reported, will have the option to stop for supplies and rest every 300 to 500 meters (1,000 to 1,640 feet).
Such a mammoth logistical effort may require new powers for Germany’s Federal Police, the report noted, with conscription to the service being considered and with officers potentially being involved in the running of any prisoner of war camps.
Newsweek cannot independently verify Der Spiegel‘s reporting and has contacted the German Defense Ministry by email to request comment.
In June, The Telegraph reported that NATO is expanding plans for several land “corridors” through which to move troops and equipment—including American—required for a hypothetical future war with Russia. Among the planned avenues would be those running from Italy to Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary, as well as routes via Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria Romania, and Scandinavia.
German officials have been among the allied leaders warning that a direct conflict with Russia is increasingly likely in the coming decade. While Western weapons are already raining down on Russian forces fighting in and near Ukraine, NATO leaders have repeatedly stressed their intention to avoid a direct fight with Moscow.
The Kremlin has been less cautious in its rhetoric, framing its February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a pre-emptive strike against NATO, and its disastrous war since as a tussle with the U.S.-led “collective West.” President Vladimir Putin and his allies have repeatedly threatened the use of nuclear weapons against Western nations aiding Kyiv.
By DAVID BRENNAN/Newsweek
David Brennan is Newsweek’s Diplomatic Correspondent covering world politics and conflicts from London with a focus on NATO, the European Union, and the Russia-Ukraine War. David joined Newsweek in 2018 and has since reported from key locations and summits across Europe and the South Caucasus. This includes extensive reporting from the Baltic, Nordic, and Central European regions, plus Georgia and Ukraine. Originally from London, David graduated from the University of Cambridge having specialized in the history of empires and revolutions. You can contact David at d.brennan@newsweek.com and follow him on Twitter @DavidBrennan100.