Olaf Scholz announces that Germany is investigating a “very serious” leak within the army

A Russian media outlet published an audio recording purporting to be a conversation between German army officers. They are talking in particular about the delivery of weapons to kyiv.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Saturday March 2 that Germany was thoroughly investigating the leak of a recording of army officers. The discussion concerns confidential elements concerning the war in Ukraine. “This is a very serious matter and that is why it is now the subject of a very careful, very thorough and very rapid investigation”he declared during a visit to Rome.

On Friday, Margarita Simonyan, director of Russia’s state-backed RT channel, posted online a 38-minute audio recording in which she said German army officers discussed an attack on Crimea, on February 19. In the recording, discussions can be heard about the possible use by Ukrainian forces of German-made Taurus missiles and their potential impact.

Exchange on missiles supplied to kyiv

There is particular talk of targeting targets such as a major bridge over the Kerch Strait, which connects mainland Russia to Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014. Discussions also include the use of missiles supplied to Kiev by the France and Great Britain.

Experts consulted by the German magazine Der Spiegel said they believed the recording to be authentic. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense told AFP that an investigation was underway “to determine whether communications in the Air Force sector had been intercepted”.

kyiv has long demanded that Germany provide it with Taurus missiles, which can hit targets up to 500 km away. Olaf Scholz has so far refused to send these missiles, fearing that it would lead to an escalation of the conflict.

In Moscow, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova asked “quick explanations from Germany” on this matter. “Any attempt to avoid answering questions will be considered an admission of guilt”did she say.