By Sabine Siebold
BERLIN, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Germany is at risk of entering a violent conflict with Russia as Moscow steps up an increasingly aggressive "shadow war" against European democracies, the head of Germany's foreign intelligence service warned on Monday.
"The confrontation we are facing with Russia has taken on a new, more dangerous dimension," Martin Jaeger, head of the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), told lawmakers at the annual public hearing of intelligence chiefs in parliament.
"Germany is in danger of becoming embroiled in a violent conflict with Russia - the attempted attack in Leipzig is just one example," he said.
German authorities have warned repeatedly that Russia is conducting a hybrid campaign of drone and cyber attacks, accusing Moscow of being behind an attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport in August.
Russia has repeatedly denied any intention of attacking NATO countries.
"We are not threatening anyone," Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday. "We have no intention of attacking anyone - whether in 2029, 2030 or 2050 - but if we are subjected to aggression, we will have no choice but to respond."
(Reporting by Sabine Siebold, additional reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, writing by Linda Pasquini, editing by Friederike Heine)
