Confirmed:
German Military Discusses Aid for Potential Crimean Bridge Attack
The leaked conversations between German military officers, including a top Air Force commander, discussing potential aid to Kiev in attacking the Crimean Bridge, have been confirmed as genuine by a spokeswoman from the German Defense Ministry, as reported by state broadcaster ARD.
RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan first broke the story, receiving the information from Russian security officials. Initially, a Russian-language transcript was released, followed by the source audio file in German on social media.
The 38-minute audio, dated February 19, featured a discussion among four officers of the German Air Force (Luftwaffe), led by Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz. They were deliberating operational and targeting details of Taurus long-range missiles for potential delivery to Kiev.
The officers talked as if the delivery had been agreed upon, discussing maintaining plausible deniability in the event of an attack, to avoid direct involvement in the conflict between Kiev and Moscow.
The Defense Ministry’s spokeswoman confirmed that the conversation was intercepted and that its authenticity couldn’t be fully verified.
Reports from German media suggest the officers used the Webex online platform for their discussions, with initial assessments indicating AI-supported counterfeiting was unlikely.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz described the leak as a “very serious matter,” emphasizing the need for swift and thorough investigation. He refrained from commenting on the contents of the recording or confirming awareness of the discussed plans.
German politicians expressed concern about potential further implications of the incident. Retired Colonel and MP Roderich Kiesewetter suggested more intercepted conversations might be published by Russia in the future, calling for heightened vigilance.
Criticism also came from other German politicians, including Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, head of the Bundestag’s Defense Committee, who called for improved counter-espionage efforts, acknowledging Germany’s vulnerability in this regard.
Konstantin von Notz, chairman of the Parliamentary Control Committee, demanded immediate clarification of all relevant information.
The confirmation of the leaked conversation raises concerns about international security and underscores the importance of robust counter-espionage measures.
Unveiling the Strategy:
Ukraine’s Claim and Execution of the Crimean Bridge Drone Attack
The Crimean Bridge attack on July 17, 2023, was a significant event where the Ukrainian Navy utilized two suicide sea drones to damage a span of the road bridge. This attack resulted in the deaths of two civilians and injured one. Subsequent to the event, Ukraine formally admitted responsibility for the attack, highlighting the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia over Crimea. The incident sparked a wide range of responses, including a formal investigation by Russia’s Anti-Terrorist Committee and comments from Ukrainian officials emphasizing the strategic importance of targeting such infrastructure.1
Further reporting revealed that Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) claimed responsibility for this drone attack on the Crimean Bridge, a critical supply route connecting Crimea to Russia. The operation involved remotely controlled sea drones carrying 850kg of explosives. The SBU’s involvement was confirmed by the spy chief Vasyl Maliuk in an interview, where he indicated that such strikes are part of a broader strategy and warned of more similar actions in the future. The SBU chief also mentioned that the Sea Baby drones used in the attack had been developed internally and highlighted the emotional significance of the operation’s success for the team involved.2
Moreover, the behind-the-scenes details on how Ukraine’s SBU executed the Crimean Bridge attack shed light on the meticulous planning and execution of such operations. A previous attack on the bridge had involved a truck loaded with explosives, demonstrating the SBU’s capability to bypass security measures. Following the attacks, Russia took additional measures to fortify the bridge against future incidents, including the installation of special anti-sabotage underwater barriers designed to protect against aerial and underwater drones.3
References
- “2023 Crimean Bridge explosion.” Wikipedia. 17 July 2023. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Crimean_Bridge_explosion. Sachdeva, Maanya. ↩︎
- “Ukraine’s intelligence service claims responsibility for Crimean Bridge drone attack.” The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, 16 Aug. 2023. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-crimea-bridge-attack-responsibility-russia-b2345201.html. ↩︎
- “Behind the scenes: How Ukraine’s SBU executed the Crimean Bridge attack.” The New Voice of Ukraine. Yahoo News, 8 Oct. 2023. news.yahoo.com/behind-scenes-ukraines-sbu-executed-095331517.html. ↩︎
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