Germany confirms military communication breach as accused by Russia

Germany acknowledges the interception of its air force officials’ conversations, prompting an urgent investigation into potential espionage following a Russian media leak discussing Taurus missile aid to Ukraine.

The German defense ministry has confirmed that someone intercepted conversations of its air force officials.

This revelation follows the Russian media’s release of an audio recording allegedly showcasing German military officials discussing the supply of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz firmly rejected the delivery of these weapons and labeled the situation as ‘very serious’ during a visit to Rome.

The Federal Office for Military Counterintelligence Service is leading an in-depth investigation into this security breach. Russia Today’s Margarita Simonyan first published the contentious recording, which also includes talks about potential military targets like the Kerch Bridge connecting Russia to occupied Crimea.

A spokeswoman for the German defense ministry on Saturday confirmed the interception of a secret air force conversation. “According to our assessment, a conversation in the air force division was intercepted. We are currently unable to say for certain whether changes were made to the recorded or transcribed version that is circulating on social media,” she told AFP.

Konstantin von Notz, who chairs the German Bundestag Parliamentary Oversight Panel, has called for immediate clarification of this incident, questioning whether it represents a larger security issue.

Panel member Roderich Kiesewetter believes the recordings are authentic and views them as evidence of Russia’s active engagement in espionage and sabotage.

The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has pointed to the Bundeswehr’s ‘cunning plans’ unveiled by the audio leak. However, the Russian embassy in Berlin has yet to respond to the spying allegations.

This development will potentially strain Germany’s relations with Russia amidst ongoing tensions. Germany continues to be a significant military aid supplier to Ukraine, with Chancellor Scholz emphasizing a cautious approach to avoid escalating the conflict.

He reaffirms that Germany will not send combat troops to Ukraine, focusing instead on supporting its defense against Russian aggression.

Source: Newsroom