Germany’s defense minister condemns alleged Russian information war

Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius accuses Russia of waging an “information war” to split Germany, following 38-minute audio recording leaked by Russian media

In response to claims of Russian meddling, Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Sunday that Russia is waging an “information war” with the goal of splitting Germany. This is in reaction to a 38-minute audio recording that was allegedly recorded at a meeting between top German military officials and was recently made public by Russian media sources.

German personnel are purportedly heard on the video, which leaked on Friday, talking about things like arming Ukraine and the possibility of a Kyiv attack on a Crimean bridge. German authorities denounced the occurrence as an apparent act of spying and announced an inquiry as Russian officials quickly sought an explanation from Germany.

Minister Pistorius denounced the incident as part of a larger misinformation effort directed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying it went beyond the mere eavesdropping and publishing of a discussion. Pistorius underlined the significance of this “hybrid disinformation attack,” claiming that its goal is to stoke discord and erode Germany’s unity.

A spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry resorted to social media to demand an explanation from Germany, despite the Kremlin’s denial of distributing incorrect or misleading material. Russia’s embassy in Berlin has not yet responded to questions.

The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has openly opposed the probable transfer of Taurus cruise missiles to Kyiv, and it is said that these conversations are included in the tape. It is also alleged that participants spoke about things like prospective military targets and the training of Ukrainian troops.

Seizing upon the discoveries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that they demonstrated the “cunning plans” of the German military forces. The tape was regarded by Dmitry Medvedev, the former president of Russia and current deputy head of the Russian Security Council, as an indication that Berlin was getting ready to face Moscow. 

Source: Reuters