Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Araghchi to Grossi: These parties will bear responsibility for the consequences of their actions
Araghchi to Grossi: Iran will respond to any unlawful action by European countries or parties attempting to turn the Agency into a tool for achieving their objectives
Araghchi to Grossi: We urge the Agency to warn against the consequences of any political move against Iran
Araghchi to Grossi: We call on the Agency to highlight Iran’s full cooperation during the upcoming Board of Governors meeting next week
Araghchi to Grossi: We demand that the Agency reflect the facts in a manner that prevents certain parties from exploiting it to advance their political agendas
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi holds a phone call with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi
Trump envoy Witkoff has sent 'detailed and acceptable proposal' to Iran for nuclear deal; it's in their best interest to accept it: White House Press Secretary Leavitt
Hamas official says Witkoff's position toward group was 'unfair' and shows 'complete bias' to 'Israel'
Hamas official says it has considered Witkoff's proposal acceptable for negotiations, says 'Israel's' response was incompatible with what the group agreed on
Hamas official says group has not rejected Wikoff's proposal for Gaza ceasefire

Audio says German Army plotted attack on Crimea bridge, media confirms

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 2 Mar 2024 10:23
  • 5 Shares
4 Min Read

The German Armed Forces were revealed to have been plotting an attack on the Crimean Bridge through leaked audio messages later authenticated by German media.

  • x
  • Soldiers of the German Bundeswehr 41st Mechanized Infantry Brigade take part in a military exercise at the Gaiziunai training ground some 130 km west of the capital Vilnius, Lithuania, on October 8, 2022 (AP)
    Soldiers of the German Bundeswehr 41st Mechanized Infantry Brigade take part in a military exercise at the Gaiziunai training ground some 130 km west of the capital Vilnius, Lithuania, on October 8, 2022. (AP)

The German Bundeswehr was planning to destroy the Crimean Bridge, the same one Ukraine admitted to bombing, with possible involvement from US and British troops - or so claims the editor-in-chief of Russia Today, Margarita Simonyan, citing a nearly 40-minute leaked audio she says she possesses.

Simonyan went on to submit official inquiries to German diplomatic figures, seeking clarification about the issue that would terribly impact Russian-German relations, as well as NATO's involvement in the Ukraine war.

The leak, which is 38 minutes long and dated February 19, reveals officers discussing the operational and targeting details of the homegrown Taurus long-range missiles, which Germany was mulling sending to Ukraine. Interestingly, the way it was being discussed insinuated that it had already been agreed upon.

The officers were also discussing means of maintaining plausible deniability so that Germany could tread as closely as possible to the "red line" of direct involvement without crossing it.

Although no official statement has come out from Berlin just yet, preliminary examinations of the audio recording by German media outlets suggest that it is genuine.

The German Welt newspaper said Friday evening that the audio, currently making its rounds throughout the Bundeswehr, was currently "classified as authentic" after it was closely examined.

Der Spiegel also came out as saying the recording was "classified as authentic" and that "according to an initial assessment, AI-supported counterfeiting is largely ruled out."

Related News

Operation Lunar Hail: Ukraine targeted Crimean Bridge with US ATACMS

Germany closing leaked conversation case is hypocritical: Zakharova

As German counterintelligence immediately began investigating the audio, the German Defense Ministry refused to address its contents, though it noted that the military was "checking whether communications within the Air Force were intercepted."

Involvement to drag Germany to war

Tino Chrupalla, a co-chair of Germany's far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), warned on Saturday that Germany could be drawn into the ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kiev if it proceeds with the transfer of its Taurus missiles to Ukraine.

Chrupalla said that Bundeswehr generals have discussed the possibility of using Germany's Taurus missiles to target the Crimean Bridge. According to the AfD leader, such an act would be symbolic but could have far-reaching consequences by implicating Germany in the war.

Chrupalla took to X to express his concerns, stating, "Bundeswehr generals allegedly said that the Crimean Bridge could be attacked with Germany’s Taurus missiles. This symbolic act would drag Germany into the war. No to Taurus transfers."

German lawmakers voted last week against a motion presented by the opposition to supply Kiev with long-range Taurus missiles, two years into the ongoing war.

What is the Taurus missile?

The Taurus missile is launched from a fighter jet, and its warhead, which weighs nearly half a ton, can be used against a fortified target up to 310 miles (about 500 kilometers) away, almost equivalent to the UK-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles. This means that the Taurus missile can hit the Russian capital, Moscow, which is about 450 kilometers away from the border with Ukraine.

Ever since the beginning of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Germany has aided Ukraine with Leopard tanks and IRIS-T air defense systems, while Britain and France provided the country with Storm Shadow and Scalp cruise missiles.

Fearing an all-out escalation, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been trying to resist all domestic and foreign pressure to aid Ukraine with the long-range Taurus although Germany has been the second biggest donor of military assistance to the ex-Soviet nation.

Russia since 2022 has repeatedly warned the United States and its Western allies, including Germany, against partaking in the war, emphasizing that it will defend itself in any way possible. It also stressed that the West and NATO have been playing a direct role by continuously aiding Ukraine with advanced weapons and military equipment. 

  • Taurus missiles
  • Russia
  • Germany
  • Nato
  • Ukraine
  • Crimea
  • Crimea Bridge
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump tensions

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump pressures

  • US & Canada
  • 25 May 2025
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington (AP)

Rift widens: Trump, Netanyahu clash in heated phone call over Iran

  • Politics
  • 26 May 2025
An Israeli army vehicle moves in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 29, 2025 (AP)

Hamas rejects Witkoff ceasefire plan, says alters terms

  • Politics
  • 29 May 2025
Spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announces a new operation against Ben Gurion Airport on May 29, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen announces successful hypersonic missile strike on Ben Gurion

  • Politics
  • 30 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
MIT bans class president who gave pro-Palestine speech
US & Canada

MIT bans class president over pro-Palestine speech

Arab ministers condemn Israel 'ban' on planned West Bank visit
Politics

Arab ministers condemn Israeli ban on planned West Bank visit

Major General Hu Gangfeng, Vice President, National Defense University, People's Liberation Army, China, leaves after a panel discussion during the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Politics

China blasts Hegseth, calls US top 'troublemaker' in Asia-Pacific

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: Reports
Technology

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: NBC News

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS