Russia’s foreign ministry on Monday summoned the German ambassador to Moscow following the publication of a wiretap leak of a confidential Germany army discussion on Ukraine, Russian news agencies reported.
Berlin on Sunday accused Russia of trying to “destabilise” Germany by publishing the recording on Russian social media, in which participants discussed the possible use of German-made Taurus missiles.
“The German ambassador arrived at the Russian foreign ministry, where he was summoned in connection with the publicised conversation of German officers about Crimea,” Russian state-run agency RIA Novosti said.
It published a video of the envoy arriving at the ministry in Moscow, declining to answer the questions of Russian journalists.
A 38-minute recording of talks between German officers was posted late on Friday on Russian social media.
The officers were discussing the possible use in Ukraine of German-made Taurus missiles and their potential impact.
Topics included aiming the missiles at targets such as a key bridge over the Kerch strait linking the Russian mainland to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
A German defence ministry spokeswoman confirmed to AFP that the ministry believed a conversation in the air force division had been “intercepted”.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised a full investigation into the leaks.
