Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Not a very surprising response, considering Russia’s rhetoric in general.
Tensions between Moscow and Berlin have resurfaced following Germany’s latest defence policy shift.
dpa reported on April 22 that Germany’s Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, had presented a new national military strategy in which Russia was named the main threat to Germany.
“Russia is creating the conditions for a military attack on NATO states,” the military strategy warns, according to dpa.
So how did the Kremlin react to being named the main threat to Germany?
Historical jab
Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Russian president, cautioned Germany against repeating what he described as historical mistakes.
“The most important thing is not to go in the same direction it has already gone several times in history,” he said, responding to a question from a journalist, Digi24 reports.
Peskov did not mention it directly, but the comment is interpreted as a jab at 1930s Germany, when the Nazis took control of the country.
Russia celebrates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany every year during “Victory Day.”
Repeated Nazi comments
Peskov’s remarks are far from the first linking present-day Germany to the past.
In March 2025, Russia’s former president, Dmitry Medvedev, said ahead of the German elections that Friedrich Merz, who later became chancellor, “was already lying like Goebbels,” referring to the Nazi propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels.
NATO response
Alongside Germany’s plans, NATO is working to expand its overall force readiness. The alliance is aiming to boost troop numbers to around 460,000 to counter what it describes as potential Russian aggression.
The German plan further emphasizes investment in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and robotics, reflecting a shift toward future-oriented defence capabilities.
Sources: Reuters, AP, BBC, dpa
