Germany has leaked British military secrets to Russia while on a video call discussing missiles, in what has been considered the ‘worst security breach’ since the Cold War.
Ingo Gerhartz, the Luftwaffe air force Lieutenant General, was speaking with other officers and a general about the process of delivering Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine.
But a recording of the 38-minute call has since been broadcast on Russian state television, with Mr Gerhartz heard claiming ‘British troops were already on the ground’ – a highly sensitive detail which has worried fellow Nato allies.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in response to the recording: ‘It is about using this recording to destabilise and unsettle us.’
He added that he hopes Putin will ‘not succeed’ in destabilising Nato with the release of the phone call.
In the call, Mr Gerhartz could be hear saying: ‘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.’
He also shared the method France uses to deliver their version of Storm Shadow missiles – by using Audi Q7s to transport the deadly weapons.
Another person on the call appeared to discuss training Ukrainian troops in Germany, saying they were ready to return to Ukraine, and adding ‘the right course of action’ would be for the UK to ‘take over’.
German chancellor Olaf Scholz has said the ‘very serious leak’ will be investigated.
The leak was revealed just days after Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, accused Britain of being ‘directly involved’ in the war in Ukraine.
Like many Western allies, UK weapons has been flowing into Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion – with £7.1 billion pledged for military assistance.
‘In general, it’s no secret that the British really provide different forms of support [to Ukraine],’ he told RTVI.
‘And people on the spot, and intelligence, and so on and so forth. That is, they are actually directly involved in this conflict.’
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