Russia leaks German audio of Crimea Bridge attack plan
Germany launches an investigation into a Russian leaked audio of officers discussing an attack on the Crimea Bridge, according to Reuters.
After Margarita Simonyan, head of Russia Today, posted the audio of German officers talking tactics to “strike the Crimea Bridge” and weapons for Ukraine, on her Telegram channel – Germany declared the need for investigative measures on 2nd March.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz commented on the potential and “very serious” leak, stating that it is being dealt with “very carefully, very intensely, and very quickly.”
The Federal Office for Military Counterintelligence are investigating the suspected eavesdropping and suggested that the 38-minute recording may have been altered.
The audio detailed the training of Ukrainian soldiers and potential military targets. Chancellor Scholz already rejected the mention of possible deliveries of Taurus cruise missiles to Kyiv. These particular missiles are almost undetectable by Russia’s air defence systems due to their stealth technology the missiles possess.
The destruction of the Crimea Bridge would disrupt a major supply route for Russia into the Ukraine and would significantly hinder the Kremlin’s hopes of victory.
Al Jazeera reported that the audio leak was a move by Russian propagandists to embarrass the German military. Despite the scandal, observers have said that it will not result in Germany’s involvement in the conflict.
READ: Macron won’t rule out sending NATO troops to Ukraine
A German MP told the Handelsblatt newspaper that “Russia is of course showing how heavily it uses espionage and sabotage as part of the hybrid war.” However, the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov said that the audio leak was an example of “blatant self-exposure.”
German political scientist, Andreas Umland told Al Jazeera that the audio’s content is “a secondary issue,” as the initial worry is “how this leak was possible and how the Russians were able to get this recording.”
Germany has recently exchanged Russia for Algeria as the country’s gas supplier in a bid to break its dependence on Russia for energy.
Although many EU countries and Algeria have sought to cut their trading ties with Russia, Egypt finalised a deal with the Slavic state, permitting the construction of a new unit at the Dabaa nuclear power plant in January 2024.
Reuters/Al Jazeera
