Germany has accused Russia of an “information war” after a leaked recording purportedly revealed a top German officer discussing secret details about British troops in Ukraine.
Russian media obtained the allegedly intercepted comments by Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, the head of the German air force, and three senior German air force officers, who had reportedly been speaking over insecure video conferencing software rather than an encrypted line.
It would be a hugely embarrassing security breach by Germany, if confirmed.
In the unverified audio, Lieutenant General Gerhartz says British troops were “on the ground” in Ukraine – and talks about how the UK and France were delivering cruise missiles to Ukraine, according to The Telegraph and The Times.
The comments were made in the context of Germany considering whether to send cruise missiles to Ukraine to support the Ukrainian military.
On the purported call, Lieutenant General Gerhartz said: “If we’re asked about delivery methods. I know how the British do this.
“They always transport them in Ridgeback armoured vehicles. They have several people on the ground.”
The 38-minute recording also purportedly included a discussion about a potential strike by Kyiv on a bridge in Crimea as well as details about the training of Ukrainian soldiers.
The British Ministry of Defence has declined to comment.
Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, former chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “This interception and the leak of military planning discussion is worrying on a number of decibel levels.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said an investigation had been launched into the “very serious” leak.
German defence minister Boris Pistorius speaking to the media about the leaked audio. Pic: Reuters
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Germany’s defence minister accused Russia and its leader Vladimir Putin of conducting an “information war” aimed at creating divisions.
Boris Pistorius said: “The incident is much more than just the interception and publication of a conversation… it is part of an information war that Putin is waging.
“It is a hybrid disinformation attack. It is about division. It is about undermining our unity.”
Russia claimed the recording showed the direct involvement of the West in the Ukraine conflict – and had summoned the German ambassador.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was not clear whether the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, were acting on their own initiative or if it was part of state policy.
A Russian foreign ministry spokesperson later said on social media: “We demand an explanation from Germany.”
Russia probably using recording to undermine unity
If the head of the German air force really was using insecure communications to discuss highly sensitive secrets, then it would be a hugely embarrassing and sloppy security breach.
But that is not confirmed.
Neither is the content of a leaked audio recording, which purportedly captures Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz sharing details with colleagues about alleged secret British and French military operations inside Ukraine.
Either way, it seems almost certain that Russia is deliberately using this recording to try to undermine unity among Western allies.
Hacking and leaking information is a well-known, long-standing weapon in hybrid – or grey zone – warfare.
One side manages to obtain sensitive information that could be used to harm an enemy and then leaks it publicly, potentially distorting elements beforehand to maximise the impact.
Germany was quick to accuse Russia of an “information war” after Russian media outlets last Friday leaked the content of the unverified audio recording of the German air chief.
If the German suspicion is correct, any media outlet that reports on the leak without including the context of it being a potential information attack by Russia is simply becoming part of the Russian weapons system and amplifying the harm caused by such an information operation.
To read more about the grey zone and hybrid warfare, click here
Well, well, well. Looks like the Russians are at it again. They’re like the naughty kid in class who’s always getting into trouble. I wonder what they’ll come up with next. Maybe they’ll start accusing Germany of stealing their borscht recipe. Ha!
It is important to note that the information in this article is based on anonymous sources. It is always important to be skeptical of information that comes from anonymous sources, as it is difficult to verify its accuracy. However, the fact that this information has been reported by multiple sources does lend it some credibility.
Oh, for crying out loud! Can’t we all just get along? This constant finger-pointing and blame game is getting us nowhere. It’s like a couple of old ladies fighting over a bag of chips. Let’s all just take a deep breath and try to work together to find a solution to this mess.
Well, well, well. Looks like the Russians are at it again. They’re like the naughty kid in class who’s always getting into trouble. I wonder what they’ll come up with next. Maybe they’ll start accusing Germany of stealing their borscht recipe. Ha!
This is just another example of the West’s hypocrisy. They’re always talking about how important it is to fight disinformation, but they’re the ones who are spreading the most propaganda. This is just a way for them to try to control the narrative and to silence anyone who disagrees with them.
I don’t know what to believe anymore. First, we were told that Russia was behind the hack of the DNC, and now we’re being told that they’re behind this alleged leak of military secrets. It’s all starting to sound like a lot of hot air to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was all just a way to distract us from the real problems we’re facing here at home.
I don’t believe that Russia is behind this alleged leak. It’s much more likely that the West is trying to frame Russia in order to justify further sanctions or even military action. The West has a long history of using false pretexts to start wars, and I don’t believe that this is any different.
Ugh, this is so annoying! Why can’t these two countries just get along? All this fighting and bickering is getting us nowhere. I just wish they would both just shut up and leave us alone.
This is an important development in the ongoing tensions between Russia and the West. It is important to remember that both sides are likely to be engaged in their own forms of information warfare, and it is difficult to know what the truth is. However, it is clear that the situation is becoming increasingly dangerous, and it is important to find a way to de-escalate the tensions before they lead to open conflict.
I’m not sure what to make of this. On the one hand, I don’t trust the German government. They have a long history of lying to the public. On the other hand, I don’t trust the Russian government either. They’re even worse than the Germans when it comes to lying. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what more information comes out.
Oh, the irony! Russia is accusing Germany of waging an information war, when they’re the ones who have been caught time and time again spreading propaganda and disinformation. This is like the pot calling the kettle black. I guess the Russians are just trying to deflect attention from their own misdeeds.
I’m glad that Germany is taking a stand against Russia’s information warfare. It’s important to call out this kind of behavior and to hold Russia accountable for its actions. I hope that other countries will follow Germany’s lead and stand up to Russia’s aggression.
This is just another example of the West’s Russophobia. They’re always looking for an excuse to demonize Russia, and this is just the latest in a long line of provocations. I don’t believe for a second that Russia is behind this alleged leak. It’s much more likely that the West is trying to frame Russia in order to justify further sanctions or even military action.
Oh, the irony! Russia is accusing Germany of waging an information war, when they’re the ones who have been caught time and time again spreading propaganda and disinformation. This is like the pot calling the kettle black. I guess the Russians are just trying to deflect attention from their own misdeeds.