World War 3: From tanks to shelters, how Germany is preparing for a global war on 115th anniv of WW 1 with Operation Deutschland

Germany, which ignited both World War I and World War II, is now preparing for the possibility of another major conflict—this time, fearing an attack from Russia. Germany is now fearing that the war could erupt in 2029—exactly 115 years after Germany declared war on Russia in 1914.

According to multiple reports, Germany is taking urgent steps to expand and modernize its network of bunkers and civil defense shelters amid growing concerns that Russia could launch an assault on a NATO member within the next four years.

Instead of building new structures—which would be time-consuming and expensive—Germany is focusing on repurposing existing spaces such as metro stations, tunnels, underground garages, and public building basements to provide shelter for civilians. The goal is to quickly accommodate up to one million people in case of an emergency.


“For a long time, there was a widespread belief in Germany that war was not a scenario for which we needed to prepare. That has changed,” Ralph Tiesler, head of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), told Süddeutsche Zeitung, as quoted by The Guardian. “We are concerned about the risk of a major war of aggression in Europe.”

Germany’s Chief of Defence, General Carsten Breuer, recently told the BBC that Russia is manufacturing hundreds of tanks each year—enough to pose a serious threat to NATO countries in the Baltic region by 2029 or sooner.

Germany currently has around 2,000 Cold War-era bunkers, but fewer than 600—precisely 580—are functional. These could shelter roughly 480,000 people, less than 1% of the population. In contrast, Finland has built about 50,000 protection rooms capable of housing 4.8 million people, covering nearly 85% of its citizens, according to BBK data.

Tiesler said his agency is working on a national plan to identify and convert suitable spaces, with a full strategy expected later this summer. “New construction would take too long and cost too much,” he said. “We’re in a race against time.”

Germany's broader military posture is also shifting. A classified dossier dubbed Operation Deutschland or Oplan—first reported by Sky News—details how the country would safeguard critical infrastructure, mobilize NATO troops, and prepare for war scenarios.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Germany has increased its defense spending and readiness. A €100 billion fund was announced that year to re-equip the Bundeswehr. In 2024, Germany committed to meet NATO’s 2% defense spending target for the first time since the 1990s.

As of now, the Bundeswehr has just over 179,000 troops—making it the sixth largest force in NATO, behind the US, Turkey, Poland, France, and the UK. But German leaders have set an ambitious goal: expanding troop numbers to 203,000 by 2031.

Across Europe, similar concerns are sparking action. Poland, which borders both Russia and Ukraine, plans to spend nearly 5% of its GDP on defense this year—more than any other NATO nation, according to the BBC.