Germany Accuses Putin of Sowing Disunity with Leak of Confidential Army Talks on Ukraine War
In a recent development, Germany has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of attempting to sow disunity by leaking a wiretap of a confidential German army discussion on the Ukraine war. The leak occurred at a time when Berlin is facing pressure to supply the Taurus missile to Kyiv. The 38-minute recording of the talks was posted online on Russian social media platforms late Friday, and it featured discussions about the potential use and impact of German-made Taurus missiles. The talks also touched upon the long-range missiles provided to Kyiv by France and Britain.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius expressed his concerns about the leak, stating, “It is about using this recording to destabilize and unsettle us.” He further added that he hopes Putin’s efforts will not succeed. Pistorius believes that this leak is part of an information war being carried out by Putin. However, he clarified that he was not aware of any further leaks within the army and that he would await the results of a military probe before deciding on the consequences.
The acquisition of German Taurus missiles has been a long-standing demand from Kyiv, as these missiles have the capability to reach targets up to 500 kilometers away. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, however, has been hesitant to send the missiles, fearing that it could escalate the conflict with Russia, which possesses nuclear weapons. The provision of German Taurus missiles would significantly strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities as it struggles to fend off Russia’s invasion.
France and Britain have already supplied Kyiv with SCALP or Storm Shadow missiles, which have a range of approximately 250 kilometers. Scholz has stated that Germany cannot justify matching the actions of Britain and France in sending long-range missiles to Ukraine and supporting their deployment. He explained that Germany lacks the necessary capabilities for targeting and supporting targeting in the same manner. Although he did not provide specific details, Scholz emphasized the limitations of Germany in this regard.
In response to the leak, Britain denied any direct involvement in operating the missiles provided to Ukraine. A spokesperson from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated, “Ukraine’s use of Storm Shadow and its targeting processes are the business of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
The leak of the confidential army talks has raised concerns about the potential consequences and impact on Germany’s relationship with Ukraine and Russia. It highlights the ongoing tensions and power dynamics surrounding the conflict in Ukraine. As Germany awaits the results of the military probe, the focus remains on how this incident will shape future decisions regarding the supply of missiles to Kyiv and Germany’s stance in the Ukraine war.