An internet conference between Germany’s Air Force officers was intercepted by Russians, the Ministry of Defense confirmed to German media, with experts calling it a “super disaster”.
The recording is 38 minutes long – the Ministry of Defense has now confirmed to the ARD Capital Studio that there is a case of wiretapping, German publication tagesschau reported.
“According to our assessment, a conversation in the Air Force was intercepted. We cannot currently say with certainty whether changes were made to the recorded or written version that is circulating on social media,” a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense told ARD Capital Studio.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz Scholz (SPD), who had a private audience with the Pope in Rome that morning, expressed concern after the espionage case became known.
He said: “What is being reported there is a very serious matter and that is why it is now being [looked into] very intensively, very carefully and clarified very quickly.
The internet conference of high-ranking Air Force officers was apparently overheard by Russians on February 19.
The conversation is believed to have been about the preparation of a 30-minute briefing for Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) on the feasibility of a “Taurus” mission in Ukraine.
The officers appear to openly chat about various topics, including the presence of US and UK military personnel on Ukrainian soil.
They also discuss the possible training of Ukrainian staff in Germany for the “Taurus” mission, German news reported.
The officers are also believed to have spoken about how to use weapons against targets like the Kerch Bridge, which links the Russian mainland with Crimea.
