NATO panic over Moscow document leak – Solz seen as Russia's 'useful idiot' – Source

Fears are growing among intelligence officials that German military leaks are just the “tip of the iceberg” as they warn NATO secrets may have been hacked. August Hanning, a former intelligence chief in Berlin, told German newspaper Bild: “The leak can only be the tip of the iceberg.”

The intelligence expert added that he expected the Russians may have heard more of the 38-minute conversation between high-ranking German military officers. German Russia has used Chancellor Olaf Sols as a “useful idiot.”After Moscow identified Germany as the “weakest link,” according to sources quoted by The Telegraph newspaper.

The German government has strongly rejected claims that a leak of a conversation between senior German military personnel is an indication of this Berlin is preparing for war against Russia yesterday. At the same time, the government sought to limit the domestic fallout from the leak and promised a rapid investigation into how a conversation between senior German military personnel was intercepted and published.

A spokesman for Schulz told reporters: “It is quite clear that the claims that this conversation will prove that Germany is preparing for war against Russia are absurdly disreputable Russian propaganda.” Government spokesman Wolfgang Buchner said the leak was part of Russia's “information war” against the West. The goal was to create discord within Germany.

The 38-minute recording shows military officials discussing in German how Kiev might use long-range Taurus missiles against invading Russian forces. although The German authorities did not question the authenticity of the recording. Schulz said a week ago that handing over these weapons to Ukraine is not an option, and that he does not want Germany to be drawn directly into war.

But the Russian Foreign Ministry threatened Germany on Monday “Serious consequences” regarding the leak. He did not provide further details. “If nothing is done and the German people do not stop this, there will be serious consequences first and foremost for Germany itself,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

“Normally, successful eavesdropping operations are not made public so as not to harm the source,” Hanning said. But after the leaked news, it is now certain that Olaf Soles will definitely not deliver Taurus missiles to Ukraine, according to military expert Carlo Massala, who also spoke to Bild newspaper.

“Unreliable” Germany.

Germany was described yesterday as “untrustworthy”. After the call between Lieutenant General Ingo Gerharz and senior Luftwaffe officers. Discussions included confirmation of the deployment of British personnel in Ukraine and details of how Storm Shadow missiles would be deployed in the country.

Solz confirmed that the recording broadcast by the Moscow State Broadcasting Corporation was real He described the security breach as “extremely serious.”». Downing Street insisted the breach was a matter for Berlin to investigate, while Solz again urged sending long-range missiles to Kiev.

But former Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the incident showed Germany was “neither safe nor reliable”. “We know that Russian intelligence services have penetrated significantly into Germany, “This shows that they are not safe and cannot be relied upon,” he told the newspaper.

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron will travel to Berlin in two days to meet her German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. While the leak is expected to be raised at the meeting, the Foreign Office has just confirmed that there will be “detailed discussions on the two big issues of the moment: Ukraine and Gaza.”

Relations between Germany and Russia have been deteriorating steadily since Russia's invasion of Ukraine two years ago. The audio leak was posted by Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of Russian state TV channel RT, on social media on Friday, the same day the audio was leaked. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was buried After his unexplained death two weeks ago in prison.

The recording also appeared a few weeks later Before the presidential elections in Russia. The German News Agency (DPA) reported that the leaked audio recording shows four officers, including German Air Force Commander Ingo Gerharz, developing scenarios for deploying Taurus missiles in Ukraine before a meeting with Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

The officers then stated that early delivery and rapid deployment of the Taurus missiles would be possible Only with the participation of German soldiers. The recording also shows that the German government did not give the “green light” to deliver the cruise missiles that Ukraine is seeking.

Germany now The second largest supplier of military aid to Ukraine After the United States, its support is intensifying this year. The German Ministry of Defense tried to downplay the importance of the leaked conversation, saying that it was Just “brainstorm” before the meeting With the Minister of Defense. Several German media outlets reported that the officers were at a WebEx meeting when they were filmed.

In the United States, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby refused to give more details about the leaked document, but described the publication of this document as “a clear attempt by the Russians to sow division.” The Kremlin said so on Monday The results of the German government's investigation are awaited. Mr Schulz said a prompt, complete and effective investigation would be carried out. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “We hope that we will be able to find out the result of this investigation.”