In the leaked conversation, German air force officers discussed the possibility of transferring Taurus missile systems to Ukraine as well as the possibility of targeting the Kerch Bridge, which connects the Crimean peninsula with Russian territory.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the leak a “very serious matter”. He promised during a visit to Rome on Saturday: “It will now be investigated very carefully, very intensively and very quickly”.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the leak a “very serious matter.” Photo: Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters
A spokesperson for the German Defense Ministry confirmed to CNN that the recording was authentic: "According to our assessment, a conversation in the air force sector was leaked. We cannot currently say for sure whether changes were made to the recorded or written version circulating on social media."
The audio discussion revolved around providing German air force support to Ukraine, as well as how Ukraine could use these systems.
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev alleged that the 38-minute conversation showed Germany was against Russia. The Kerch Bridge has been a target for Ukraine throughout its conflict with Russia.
In the recording, officers can be heard discussing the possibility of targeting the Kerch bridge with Taurus missiles, with one saying that the Taurus is capable of reaching the bridge despite it being a difficult target.
Russia said it was seeking answers about the recording. “We demand explanations from Germany. Berlin must provide them promptly. Any attempt to evade answering questions will be regarded as an admission of guilt,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on her Telegram channel on Friday.
Mai Anh (according to CNN, Reuters, TASS)
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