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Germany’s elite special forces are adjusting their operational focus to prepare for a potential large-scale conflict with Russia, according to the unit’s commander. The shift occurs amid persistent tensions between NATO and Moscow over the Ukraine war, as German officials caution that the nation's military must be prepared for a potential confrontation by the end of the decade.
Speaking to the German newspaper Bild from the unit's base in southwestern Germany, Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) Commander Brigadier General Andreas Kuhne stated that the commandos are tailoring their training specifically to counter Russian forces equipped with tanks, artillery, drones, electronic warfare capabilities, and operations in extreme cold. "We are orienting ourselves very specifically toward the adversary Russia," Kuhne said, adding that his troops must be ready to "remain in the field much longer," potentially "with no end in sight," should war break out.
Kuhne further explained that the KSK, which is comparable to Britain’s SAS or the U.S. Green Berets, is preparing to carry out missions prior to the deployment of conventional German forces. "When the 45th Armored Brigade in Lithuania starts its engines in a real emergency, we want to have already completed our job," he told Bild. According to the report published on Monday, approximately one-third of the KSK’s 1,500 personnel serve as commandos, while the remainder handle administrative and support duties.
The unit's operational realignment follows years of controversies concerning far-right extremism within its ranks. In 2017, prosecutors initiated an investigation after reports emerged that soldiers had given Nazi salutes, listened to far-right music, and offered a woman as a "prize" during a farewell event for an outgoing company commander. In 2018, investigations uncovered an underground far-right network composed of German military and security personnel who allegedly discussed plans to assassinate political opponents in the event of a societal collapse. In 2020, law enforcement discovered a major cache of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and Nazi memorabilia at the property of a KSK sergeant major, with some ammunition suspected of being stolen from Bundeswehr stockpiles.
These scandals led then-Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to disband the 2nd Company—one of the KSK's four commando companies—and implement broad structural reforms, though the special forces command itself remained active. Speaking to Bild, Kuhne acknowledged that while conduct-related and disciplinary incidents within the unit have become "extremely rare," they have not been completely eliminated, adding that misconduct would no longer be covered up or tolerated.
The defense preparations take place as Chancellor Friedrich Merz vows to build the Bundeswehr into Europe’s strongest conventional military force in response to what he describes as threats from Russia. Merz's administration has prioritized defense expenditures and military assistance to Ukraine, even while recognizing that the German economy is experiencing a "structural crisis." In July, reports from Die Welt and The Telegraph indicated that Berlin was formulating a secret plan to bypass potential resistance from regional governments regarding the deployment of NATO troops toward Russia’s borders.
These military ambitions arrive amidst falling public support for Merz's leadership. According to an INSA survey published by Bild this week, the chancellor ranked last among 20 prominent German politicians. Additionally, the opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD) won state elections in Saxony-Anhalt
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