The new management and planning staff "in future will filter the content of all templates from the house that go to the minister, the state secretaries or the inspector general of the Bundeswehr," said von Bornstaedt-Küpper. "We find the power of the new, military-led staff worrying." The minister's confidence in the military leadership was "apparently unlimited". With this reform, however, Pistorius is risking "the cohesion of the workforce - the reaction of civilian employees and members of the Bundeswehr is very different".

The Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday that Pistorius wanted to set up a planning and management staff again by the end of May to enable more efficient decisions. The designated head of the body, Brigadier General Freuding, has so far headed the Ukraine special staff.

Up until 2012, the Ministry of Defence, which has often been criticized as cumbersome, had a planning and management staff. It was then abolished. Shortly after taking office in January, Pistorius announced a reform of his ministry.