German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has recently acknowledged a more extensive lapse in security than previously disclosed, following Russia's interception of sensitive conversations among German military officials. The discussions, which included topics on weapons supplies to Ukraine, were not as tightly secured as they should have been, leading to unwanted eavesdropping by Russian entities.
This breach of security came to light when it was discovered that not one, but two servicemen failed to adhere to the necessary security protocols. Among them was the commander of the air force, highlighting a significant oversight at the upper echelons of the German military.
The details of this lapse were reported by "Spiegel," raising concerns over the protection of sensitive military communications.
The compromised conversation, which took place on February 19 and was later broadcast by Russian English-language state television RT on March 1, involved Air Force Inspector Ingo Gerhartz and three other senior military officials.
The dialogue centered on strategic discussions about the deployment of German Taurus cruise missiles and the manner in which the Bundeswehr (German armed forces) could potentially support Ukraine with these weapons.
Initially, the blame for the security breach was placed on Brigadier General Frank Graefe, who had participated in the critical discussion from a hotel in Singapore using an unsecured mobile phone connection.
However, subsequent investigations and a meeting of the special commission of inquiry in the Bundestag revealed that the issue was broader, involving more than just one individual's negligence.
