Leaked audio obtained by Russia has revealed that German officials discussed plans to send missiles to Ukraine to take out the key Crimean Bridge amid a long-running war between Kiev and Moscow.
The 38-minute audio dated February 19 was released by Russia’s RT news channel, containing a conversation between four officers of the German air force, including its commander, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz.
The military officials were discussing the operational and targeting details of Taurus long-range missiles that Germany was considering sending to Ukraine for an attack on the strategic bridge, which is also called Kerch Bridge and links Russia to the Crimean Peninsula.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that there are two interesting targets—the [Crimean] bridge to the east and the ammunition depots, which are higher up. The bridge is difficult to reach, it’s a relatively small target, but the Taurus can do it, and it can also strike the ammunition depots,” said one of the German officials in the audio.
During the leaked conversation, the officers exchanged their views on the matter as if the delivery of Taurus missiles to Ukraine had already been agreed upon.
They also spoke about maintaining plausible deniability in the event of the bridge attack and avoiding Berlin to be dragged into the war between Kiev and Moscow.
Apart from the use of Taurus missiles, the German officials also mentioned the presence of foreign military personnel in Ukraine, deployed to help Kiev operate Western-supplied weapons.
US-led Western countries have supplied huge shipments of weaponry to Kiev since Moscow launched the special military operation in the former-Soviet republic in February 2022.
Moscow has repeatedly warned the West that flooding Ukraine with weapons and munitions will only prolong the war, and will not stop the Russian troops from achieving their military objectives.
Leaked Crimean Bridge attack audio ‘real’: Berlin
A German Defense Ministry spokeswoman told state broadcaster ARD on Saturday that the leaked discussions between German military officers about aiding Kiev in a potential attack on the Crimean Bridge are genuine.
“According to our assessment, a conversation in the Air Force was intercepted,” the ministry’s spokeswoman said, adding that the German officials were unable to determine whether any changes were made to the transcript or the recording itself.
The German media also reported that the audio clip appeared to be authentic, with Germany’s DPA news agency saying the officers were talking using the Webex online calling, messaging and conference platform.
Germany’s Der Spiegel reported that “according to an initial assessment, Artificial-Intelligence supported counterfeiting is largely ruled out.”
The German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung claimed on Sunday, citing sources, that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz remains opposed to sending Taurus missiles to Kiev, warning it could further escalate the conflict.
