Russian spies leaked a 38-minute audio file of German military officials discussing Taurus cruise missile deliveries to Ukraine, raising questions about the military’s information security practices, as reported by Russian state broadcaster RT.
The German Defence Ministry has accused Russia of launching an “information war” following the publication of the recording of a meeting of senior German military officials, calling the incident an act of eavesdropping and a “hybrid disinformation attack” by Russia-backed spies.
Reportedly, the spies could record the conversation by joining a Webex conference. The conversation reveals plans for the shipment of advanced weaponry to pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine and a possible military strike on Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula currently under Russian control.
It is worth noting that Kyiv wants Germany’s Taurus missiles, long-range missiles from France and Britain, and Ukrainian soldier training amid the ongoing war in Ukraine since the country is facing soldiers and ammunition shortages. The transcript of the conversation, which took place on 19 February, was published by RT on 1st March.
In the recording, four senior Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) officers are discussing the hypothetical export of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, and how to attack Russian infrastructure through them.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz refuses to send such long-range cruise missiles, causing splintering within the country’s governing coalition. The recording, shared on social media, revealed that the German Air Force’s chief, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz expressed concern about direct connections with the Ukrainian armed forces.
Russian officials also discussed potential targets for Taurus missiles donated to Ukraine, the training time for local personnel, and the possibility of using the missiles to destroy the Kerch bridge linking Crimea to Russia.
They also discussed preparations for a meeting with MP Boris Pistorius to send around 10-20 Taurus missiles from Germany’s 600-strong stockpile to counter Russia’s air defences and destroy the Kerch connection. They also discussed transporting data for Taurus programming from German airbases into Ukraine.
As per DW, the Defence Ministry has confirmed the recording’s authenticity and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz referred to it as a “very serious matter.” German Social Democrats MP Pistorius criticized the leaked audio, stating it was suspiciously published just before opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s funeral.
Germany’s Military Counterintelligence Service is investigating the leaked audio, which comes just days after Scholz inferred that British and French staff are helping calibrate missile targets for Ukrainians.