04:43German government representatives denied Russia's claim that their country was 'preparing for war' - and rejected claims their ambassador had been summoned by Moscow - following the leak of an audio recording of four military officers discussing the potential use of long-range Taurus missiles in Ukraine, during a federal press conference in Berlin on Monday.
"This is definitely an attempt, as we have often seen, to divide society in Germany or Europe, and all you can say is that you shouldn't play Putin's game, you should think very carefully about what you are doing in this context says, but it is completely clear that such claims as this conversation would prove, that Germany is preparing a war against Russia, that this is absurd, infamous Russian propaganda and that anyone who would listen to it would not have anything to do with it," said deputy government spokesperson Wolfgang Buchner.
Federal Foreign Office Spokesperson Christian Wagner also rejected claims in the Russian media that German Ambassador Alexander Graf Lambsdorff had been 'summoned' by the Russian Foreign Ministry, saying that the diplomat visited for a 'long-scheduled appointment'.
"I don't think one should now obscure the fact that this is, of course, being used internally in Russia to support a narrative of an aggressive West," he added.Meanwhile, Ministry of Defence for Air Force and Cyber and Information Technology Matters Spokesperson Mitko Muller called the incident a 'hybrid attack' in order to 'create uncertainty'.
"We are in constant contact with our partners, in good exchange, very good. Of course, we also exchange ideas and talk about other points, which are, of course, also confidential. Now, it's important that we react prudently and, as the minister said yesterday: 'Don't fall for Putin'. So, we react prudently to this hybrid attack," he continued.
The 38-minute recording leaked to Russian media, published on Friday, features the officers discussing the possible use of Taurus, the supply of 100 such missiles and possible targets, including the Kerch Bridge. It included the claim that the UK had 'people on the ground', which the country has repeatedly denied.
On Friday the Russian Foreign Ministry said it 'demand[ed] an explanation from Germany', while on Sunday, Deputy Head of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev wrote on Telegram that it proved Germany was 'preparing for war against Russia'.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has consistently rejected calls to send Taurus missiles to Kiev, saying that 'if used incorrectly, they could hit a target somewhere in Moscow' and that he wanted to avoid any escalation.
The leaked audio followed a major row between Germany and the UK last week, after Scholz repeatedly claimed that the country, as well as France, was helping Ukraine with 'target control' of its missiles. The chancellor's apparent revelations came while attempting to justify why the Taurus system would not be sent - because it required German troops on the ground.
Former UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace criticised 'not only dangerous use of facts but also often wrong facts', describing Scholz as 'the wrong man, in the wrong job at the wrong time', while British Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Alicia Kearns also called it 'wrong, irresponsible and a slap in the face to allies'.
'Long-scheduled appointment' - German govt denies Russian FM 'summons' over leaked audio, rejects 'absurd' claim country is 'preparing for war'
German government representatives denied Russia's claim that their country was 'preparing for war' - and rejected claims their ambassador had been summoned by Moscow - following the leak of an audio recording of four military officers discussing the potential use of long-range Taurus missiles in Ukraine, during a federal press conference in Berlin on Monday.
"This is definitely an attempt, as we have often seen, to divide society in Germany or Europe, and all you can say is that you shouldn't play Putin's game, you should think very carefully about what you are doing in this context says, but it is completely clear that such claims as this conversation would prove, that Germany is preparing a war against Russia, that this is absurd, infamous Russian propaganda and that anyone who would listen to it would not have anything to do with it," said deputy government spokesperson Wolfgang Buchner.
Federal Foreign Office Spokesperson Christian Wagner also rejected claims in the Russian media that German Ambassador Alexander Graf Lambsdorff had been 'summoned' by the Russian Foreign Ministry, saying that the diplomat visited for a 'long-scheduled appointment'.
"I don't think one should now obscure the fact that this is, of course, being used internally in Russia to support a narrative of an aggressive West," he added.Meanwhile, Ministry of Defence for Air Force and Cyber and Information Technology Matters Spokesperson Mitko Muller called the incident a 'hybrid attack' in order to 'create uncertainty'.
"We are in constant contact with our partners, in good exchange, very good. Of course, we also exchange ideas and talk about other points, which are, of course, also confidential. Now, it's important that we react prudently and, as the minister said yesterday: 'Don't fall for Putin'. So, we react prudently to this hybrid attack," he continued.
The 38-minute recording leaked to Russian media, published on Friday, features the officers discussing the possible use of Taurus, the supply of 100 such missiles and possible targets, including the Kerch Bridge. It included the claim that the UK had 'people on the ground', which the country has repeatedly denied.
On Friday the Russian Foreign Ministry said it 'demand[ed] an explanation from Germany', while on Sunday, Deputy Head of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev wrote on Telegram that it proved Germany was 'preparing for war against Russia'.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has consistently rejected calls to send Taurus missiles to Kiev, saying that 'if used incorrectly, they could hit a target somewhere in Moscow' and that he wanted to avoid any escalation.
The leaked audio followed a major row between Germany and the UK last week, after Scholz repeatedly claimed that the country, as well as France, was helping Ukraine with 'target control' of its missiles. The chancellor's apparent revelations came while attempting to justify why the Taurus system would not be sent - because it required German troops on the ground.
Former UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace criticised 'not only dangerous use of facts but also often wrong facts', describing Scholz as 'the wrong man, in the wrong job at the wrong time', while British Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Alicia Kearns also called it 'wrong, irresponsible and a slap in the face to allies'.
German government representatives denied Russia's claim that their country was 'preparing for war' - and rejected claims their ambassador had been summoned by Moscow - following the leak of an audio recording of four military officers discussing the potential use of long-range Taurus missiles in Ukraine, during a federal press conference in Berlin on Monday.
"This is definitely an attempt, as we have often seen, to divide society in Germany or Europe, and all you can say is that you shouldn't play Putin's game, you should think very carefully about what you are doing in this context says, but it is completely clear that such claims as this conversation would prove, that Germany is preparing a war against Russia, that this is absurd, infamous Russian propaganda and that anyone who would listen to it would not have anything to do with it," said deputy government spokesperson Wolfgang Buchner.
Federal Foreign Office Spokesperson Christian Wagner also rejected claims in the Russian media that German Ambassador Alexander Graf Lambsdorff had been 'summoned' by the Russian Foreign Ministry, saying that the diplomat visited for a 'long-scheduled appointment'.
"I don't think one should now obscure the fact that this is, of course, being used internally in Russia to support a narrative of an aggressive West," he added.Meanwhile, Ministry of Defence for Air Force and Cyber and Information Technology Matters Spokesperson Mitko Muller called the incident a 'hybrid attack' in order to 'create uncertainty'.
"We are in constant contact with our partners, in good exchange, very good. Of course, we also exchange ideas and talk about other points, which are, of course, also confidential. Now, it's important that we react prudently and, as the minister said yesterday: 'Don't fall for Putin'. So, we react prudently to this hybrid attack," he continued.
The 38-minute recording leaked to Russian media, published on Friday, features the officers discussing the possible use of Taurus, the supply of 100 such missiles and possible targets, including the Kerch Bridge. It included the claim that the UK had 'people on the ground', which the country has repeatedly denied.
On Friday the Russian Foreign Ministry said it 'demand[ed] an explanation from Germany', while on Sunday, Deputy Head of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev wrote on Telegram that it proved Germany was 'preparing for war against Russia'.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has consistently rejected calls to send Taurus missiles to Kiev, saying that 'if used incorrectly, they could hit a target somewhere in Moscow' and that he wanted to avoid any escalation.
The leaked audio followed a major row between Germany and the UK last week, after Scholz repeatedly claimed that the country, as well as France, was helping Ukraine with 'target control' of its missiles. The chancellor's apparent revelations came while attempting to justify why the Taurus system would not be sent - because it required German troops on the ground.
Former UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace criticised 'not only dangerous use of facts but also often wrong facts', describing Scholz as 'the wrong man, in the wrong job at the wrong time', while British Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Alicia Kearns also called it 'wrong, irresponsible and a slap in the face to allies'.