Berlin, Germany – A top-secret call between senior German military officials discussing the potential shipment of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine was intercepted by Russian spies, leading to a major data leak. The call, which took place during an air show in Singapore, was recorded and later published by the Russian state channel RT.
Brigadier General Frank Gräfe, senior officer of the German Air Force, is believed to have inadvertently allowed the Russian spies to access the call by connecting via an unsecured line. The call, which lasted approximately 40 minutes, touched on highly sensitive military topics and has since sparked controversy.
The German government has attributed the leak to human error, with officials speculating that one of the participants connected via an insecure line, possibly through a mobile phone or the hotel’s Wi-Fi. The use of the widely used WebEx platform for the call has raised questions about security protocols, although Berlin has maintained that a secure and certified version was used.
Experts suggest that the Russian spies likely intercepted the call by utilizing long-range antennas and capturing local network traffic, allowing them to eavesdrop on the conversation undetected. The incident has raised concerns about German defense and security vulnerabilities, with some pointing to a systemic failure within the military.
Despite German efforts to downplay the incident as an isolated error, questions remain about the country’s susceptibility to foreign espionage. The leak has further exposed internal divisions over the potential arms aid to Ukraine and has reignited discussions about Germany’s relationship with Russia.
As investigations continue into the data breach, German officials are working to ensure that similar incidents are prevented in the future. The leak serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing cybersecurity challenges faced by modern militaries and the need for robust protocols to protect sensitive information.