Germany: Russian phone hearing followed by a staff error

Germany has resisted calls for the supply of Ukraine with long-range missiles, “Taurus”, saying it risks escalation of conflict.

But in an audio recording published last week by Russian media “Russia Today”, four senior German officers, including Air Force Commander, are heard discussing Kiev's supply of rockets.

I think audio registration points to some kind of disagreement in high command over what they see as possible versus what political leadership wants. So this raises some questions about the relationship between political and military leadership regarding helping Ukraine”, says defence expert Marina Miron of the Royal University of London.

In audio recording, German officers discuss the capability of the “Taurus” missiles to strike the Kerci Bridge, which connects Russia and the Crimea.

Audio record also suggests that Britain has sent a military team to Ukraine to train Ukrainian soldiers in using the long-range missile system, “Storm Shadow” London gave to Kiev. The British government has made no comment on the issue.

Russia claims audio registration highlights the Western <x0-cylelective involvement” in the conflict in Ukraine.

Berlin has not denied audio registration. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Tuesday that government communication systems have not been compromised.

“Call recording was made due to an individual's error in the Air Force rank. Not all participants have followed the call implementation procedures”, he said.

Western allies have raised many questions about information Russia may have collected from this call.

We don't know what other information Russia has provided. This is a phone call they've decided to publish. Maybe Russia has knowledge of all the shipments of Western weapons to Ukraine. So this is a very serious issue, especially with regard to sharing intelligence information between Germany and other partner countries. Of course, it helps Russia because it does not want an open fight with NATO, but an internal destabilisation of the” alliance, says expert Marina Miron.

The publication of audio recording coincided with the funeral of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navajo, who died under unclear circumstances two weeks ago in a Russian prison in the Arctic. Analysts say publishing audio registration was intended to draw global attention from the Navajo funeral. / VOA