Germany accuses Russia of information war over military call leak
Germany has accused the Kremlin of "information war" to divide NATO after Russia published the audio of a call about Ukraine between German military officers.
LONDON — The call came from inside the Western alliance.
Deepening fears that the Kremlin may be succeeding in its effort to sow discord between the U.S. and its allies, Russia has published the audio of a private discussion among high-ranking German military officers. The leak has caused uproar in Berlin, possible harm to its support for Ukraine and accusations that this is all part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s yearslong “information war” against the West.
Germany on Monday dismissed the Kremlin’s claims that the recording — which included discussions of how Ukraine might use German weapons against Russian forces and potential strikes by Kyiv on a key bridge in occupied Crimea — betrayed plans to go to war directly with Russia.
Berlin has not denied the authenticity of the leaked call, instead promising a quick investigation into how such a high-level conversation was apparently intercepted by Moscow.
It’s the latest sign that Putin is exploiting divisions within NATO as the transatlantic alliance grapples with the prospect of a second Trump presidency and waning support for Ukraine.
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