Russia releases recording
Why the Taurus leak is so explosive
By Janis Peitsch
March 2, 2024, 3:38 a.m
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While the debate about the Taurus cruise missile continues in Germany, Russian channels are publishing a recording of an internal message from Bundeswehr officers. In the round, the military reveals sensitive information.
In the middle of the ongoing Taurus debate, an audio recording of a supposedly wiretapped conversation between four high-ranking Bundeswehr officers bursts. Russian propaganda channels published a recording of an internal message on Friday afternoon and accused the German military of planning attacks on Russian targets in Crimea. The panel only discussed the capabilities of the Taurus cruise missile and what challenges would be associated with delivery to Ukraine. But the leak is still explosive.
What is the reason for the internal switching?
According to Russian information, the conversation, which lasted approximately 38 minutes, took place on February 19, 2024. Air Force chief Ingo Gerhartz, Brigadier General Frank Gräfe and two other officers are named as participants. The reason is apparently the preparation of a briefing by the federal government.
What is the core of the discussion?
In the leaked recording you can hear the officers talking in detail about how the Bundeswehr could provide technical support for the delivery of the Taurus cruise missile following a positive decision by Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Scenarios are discussed as to how one could help with the training of Ukrainian pilots and with the programming of the weapon system.
Possibilities will also be discussed as to how Ukraine could use the Taurus even without specific target data transmission from the Bundeswehr. The recording also makes it clear that there is currently no green light for a delivery at the political level.
At the end, the officers talk about possible targets that the Ukrainians could attack with the Taurus. Ammunition depots and the strategically important Crimean Bridge near Kerch are mentioned, which connects Russia with the occupied peninsula and which plays an important role in the logistics of the Russian military.
Why is the conversation so explosive?
During the discussion, participants reveal military-sensitive information that is likely to provide Russian military planners with important insights. One of the participants considers the delivery of a maximum of 100 cruise missiles from Bundeswehr stocks to be realistic. There is talk of delivering 50 Taurus to Ukraine in a first tranche and another 50 in a second. But then, with regard to our own holdings, it is the end of the road.
In addition, one of the participants says: “I know from my British and French colleagues that they are as good as ‘Winchester’ with their Storm Shadows and Scalps.” Apparently what is meant is that the stocks of the Taurus-like Storm Shadow and Scalp cruise missiles that Ukraine is receiving have been exhausted. It is also mentioned that Germany has so far delivered three of the twelve available radars from the Patriot air defense system to Kiev.
In the course of the conversation it is noted that Great Britain has military personnel “on site” because of the Storm Shadows. In addition, in Ukraine “a lot of people with American accents walk around in civilian clothes.” A reference to members of the US armed forces in the country.
The Crimean Bridge is described by one officer as being as big “as an airfield” and would require ten or 20 Taurus to destroy. It is criticized that the Bundeswehr’s Strategic Reconnaissance Command (KSA) “does not have a clear picture of the situation” of the Russian air defense systems on the bridge.
How did the recording come about?
That is still unclear. One of the officers was staying at a hotel in Singapore during the conference. The “Bild” newspaper speculates that the room could have been bugged or that an unsecured WiFi network may have been used. But the fact is that the participants were quite careless. No tap-proof line was used for the virtual meeting, but rather the relatively insecure WebEx platform.
According to “Spiegel”, an initial internal analysis assumes that the tape of the meeting is authentic. Accordingly, an AI-supported counterfeit is largely ruled out after an initial assessment. However, its authenticity has not yet been officially confirmed. The military counterintelligence service MAD began investigating immediately after the file was published. It is feared that Russian services may have intercepted further internal communications.