Almost everyone is demanding clarification after the Russian eavesdropping attack on the Bundeswehr – but how exactly? Government politicians are warning the Union not to make party-politically motivated demands.
After the Russian wiretapping operation against Air Force officers, the government and the opposition continue to discuss the necessary consequences. Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser emphasized the preparedness of German secret services. “Putin’s propaganda apparatus wants to discredit our state, manipulate opinion formation and divide our society,” the SPD politician told the newspapers of the Funke media group. “Putin will not succeed in all of this.”
“We have further increased our protective measures against espionage and disinformation and are continually responding to current developments.” Counter-espionage at the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has been significantly strengthened in terms of personnel and technology. Combating the activities of the Russian intelligence services remains a key focus of counterintelligence.
The recording was distributed by Russian media
The US government accused Russia of wanting to stir up distrust by publishing the recording. It was a “brazen and transparent attempt by the Russians to sow discord” and to make it appear as if the West was not united and as if there was no agreement within the government in Germany about what it was doing, he said US National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby on Monday. But they will not bow to this because that is what Russia wants.
On Friday, Russia published a recorded conference call of four senior officers, including Air Force Chief Ingo Gerhartz. In it, they discussed operational scenarios for the German Taurus cruise missile if it were to be delivered to Ukraine. The recording also shows that there is no political green light for the delivery of the cruise missiles demanded by Kiev. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) justified his rejection by saying that Germany could then be drawn into the war. On Monday he reiterated his position and said: “I am the chancellor and therefore this applies.” Taurus has a range of 500 kilometers and can therefore also hit targets in Moscow from Ukraine.
Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of waging an “information war against us” in Africa too. “There he uses fake news to stir up resentment against the West, while here he strengthens the voices that are calling for a retreat into the national,” Schulze told the Germany editorial network on the sidelines of a trip to the West African country of Burkina Faso.
Strack-Zimmermann: Putin wants us to attack each other now
The Bundestag’s Defense Committee is expected to address the wiretapping affair in a special meeting next week. “We will have more information by then,” said committee chairwoman Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP) to the “Rheinische Post”. “We will discuss the extent to which our institutions are prepared for a hybrid attack.” She also expects the opposition to deal with the situation seriously but also confidently. “Putin only wants one thing: that we attack each other now.”
SPD leader Lars Klingbeil also warned the opposition: “Putin is trying to divide our politics and our society. This is precisely why the necessary rapid clarification should not be mixed with demands that are immediately transparent as party-politically motivated,” Klingbeil also told the “Rheinische Post Office”.
The Union, on the other hand, is pushing for the Defense Committee to meet for a special meeting this week. “The proposed scheduling is completely inappropriate for the situation. The committee should actually wait a week for answers,” says a letter from the parliamentary manager of the Union parties in the Bundestag, Thorsten Frei (CDU), to Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD), from the the “Rheinische Post” quoted. He expects Chancellor Scholz to take part in the meeting.
Kubicki wants to vote for Taurus delivery in the next vote
Unlike the Chancellor, the FDP and the Greens are in favor of a Taurus delivery, as is the Union. In February, Strack-Zimmermann was the only member of her group to approve a Union motion that contained this demand.
Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki (FDP) expects more FDP votes in parliament if there is a new vote in the Bundestag. “I am sure that the Union will submit an application again next week and I am also sure that this time more MPs will vote to deliver Taurus to Ukraine,” said FDP Vice President Kubicki to the “Münchner Merkur”. “Last time, at least a dozen other colleagues I know would have loved to have agreed to the Union motion, but they submitted to coalition discipline. I was also close to doing so. This time I would have reached the point of doing it,” Kubicki said.
SPD politician Schmid: Scholz’s no to Taurus delivery is not final
SPD foreign politician Nils Schmid does not rule out that Scholz will back down from his no to the Taurus delivery. “The technical, constitutional and strategic hurdles are higher than with other weapon systems. But that does not rule out the possibility that the government will come to a different assessment in the future and decide to deliver,” Schmid told the newspapers of the Bavaria media group . The only red line for Scholz is: “No direct participation in the war by Germany and NATO.” When it comes to arms deliveries, however, the Chancellor “always relied on considerations and adapted his decisions to developments in Ukraine, so that a delivery of battle tanks, for example, then became possible.”
Regarding Scholz’s argument against a Taurus delivery, according to which Bundeswehr soldiers would have to be involved if one wanted to have control over the weapon system, Schmid said: “This argument currently applies, because without the support of Bundeswehr soldiers, Ukrainian soldiers can do this technically without prior training cannot operate a highly complex system.”
When asked that Ukrainian soldiers could be trained on the weapon system in Germany, as with the Leopard tank, Schmid replied that this was indeed conceivable. “Nevertheless, the Chancellor will fundamentally weigh up the risks involved in every arms delivery. So far there has been no decision on this. But that could change.” There are no taboos regarding individual types of weapons.