08:18No access EU media/EU territory. For further info please contact Client Service
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Berlin was 'obliged to answer the questions' about what she called 'long-term, planned' intentions to 'carry out military operations against Russia', following a leaked military audio recording, during a briefing in Moscow on Monday.
"Berlin is obliged to answer the questions. What was presented to the world community shows the long-term and planned intention of the NATO country Germany to carry out military operations against Russia," Zakharova said.
She went on to say that the questions 'should not be left in the air', adding that Berlin is 'obliged to give explanations' not only through diplomatic channels, but also 'in the public, political, foreign policy and international arena.'
Zakharova also criticised the Western backing for a settlement in Ukraine based on President Volodymyr Zelensky's 'peace formula', calling it 'devious'.
"If they want peace talks, if they want to talk about peace, then first of all, as they did two years ago, they should do something, they should take steps to unblock the Kiev regime- I don't know, Zelensky or somebody else will be found - to unblock the possibilities of negotiating with Russia at a legislative level. In this way, the West will show the world its true desire and its aspiration for peace," Zakharova claimed.
Zelensky previously signed a decree banning talks with Vladimir Putin, while the Russian side says negotiations on any settlement must include Moscow, and reflect the 'realities' of the situation - namely the four regions which voted to join Russia, and which Kiev insists was an 'annexation'.
On Friday, 1 March, Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT and the Rossiya Segodnya media group, published an audio recording of a conversation between four German senior officers, discussing the possible use of Taurus missiles in Ukraine, the supply of 100 such missiles and possible targets, including the Kerch Bridge.
"This is a real audio [in which] four Bundeswehr officers, citing, most strikingly, the experience of the Luftwaffe [German Air Force], discuss how it is possible to bomb our Crimean bridge like this and how many missiles would be enough - 10 or 20, and do it in such a way that no one understands anything and so that [German Chancellor] Scholz can continue to claim that he is not involved in the conflict and NATO is not involved in the conflict and that's not his headache," the RT's editor-in-chief said.
The German Defence Ministry subsequently confirmed the audio was genuine. Chancellor Olaf Scholz called it a 'very serious' security breach which would be 'investigated very carefully'. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius claimed it was part of Russia's 'information war' and said it didn't mean there had been a 'green light' to send Taurus.
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'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an 'invasion.' Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
Berlin owes us answers regarding 'military operations against Russia' - Zakharova on leaked audio recording
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Berlin was 'obliged to answer the questions' about what she called 'long-term, planned' intentions to 'carry out military operations against Russia', following a leaked military audio recording, during a briefing in Moscow on Monday.
"Berlin is obliged to answer the questions. What was presented to the world community shows the long-term and planned intention of the NATO country Germany to carry out military operations against Russia," Zakharova said.
She went on to say that the questions 'should not be left in the air', adding that Berlin is 'obliged to give explanations' not only through diplomatic channels, but also 'in the public, political, foreign policy and international arena.'
Zakharova also criticised the Western backing for a settlement in Ukraine based on President Volodymyr Zelensky's 'peace formula', calling it 'devious'.
"If they want peace talks, if they want to talk about peace, then first of all, as they did two years ago, they should do something, they should take steps to unblock the Kiev regime- I don't know, Zelensky or somebody else will be found - to unblock the possibilities of negotiating with Russia at a legislative level. In this way, the West will show the world its true desire and its aspiration for peace," Zakharova claimed.
Zelensky previously signed a decree banning talks with Vladimir Putin, while the Russian side says negotiations on any settlement must include Moscow, and reflect the 'realities' of the situation - namely the four regions which voted to join Russia, and which Kiev insists was an 'annexation'.
On Friday, 1 March, Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT and the Rossiya Segodnya media group, published an audio recording of a conversation between four German senior officers, discussing the possible use of Taurus missiles in Ukraine, the supply of 100 such missiles and possible targets, including the Kerch Bridge.
"This is a real audio [in which] four Bundeswehr officers, citing, most strikingly, the experience of the Luftwaffe [German Air Force], discuss how it is possible to bomb our Crimean bridge like this and how many missiles would be enough - 10 or 20, and do it in such a way that no one understands anything and so that [German Chancellor] Scholz can continue to claim that he is not involved in the conflict and NATO is not involved in the conflict and that's not his headache," the RT's editor-in-chief said.
The German Defence Ministry subsequently confirmed the audio was genuine. Chancellor Olaf Scholz called it a 'very serious' security breach which would be 'investigated very carefully'. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius claimed it was part of Russia's 'information war' and said it didn't mean there had been a 'green light' to send Taurus.
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'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an 'invasion.' Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
No access EU media/EU territory. For further info please contact Client Service
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Berlin was 'obliged to answer the questions' about what she called 'long-term, planned' intentions to 'carry out military operations against Russia', following a leaked military audio recording, during a briefing in Moscow on Monday.
"Berlin is obliged to answer the questions. What was presented to the world community shows the long-term and planned intention of the NATO country Germany to carry out military operations against Russia," Zakharova said.
She went on to say that the questions 'should not be left in the air', adding that Berlin is 'obliged to give explanations' not only through diplomatic channels, but also 'in the public, political, foreign policy and international arena.'
Zakharova also criticised the Western backing for a settlement in Ukraine based on President Volodymyr Zelensky's 'peace formula', calling it 'devious'.
"If they want peace talks, if they want to talk about peace, then first of all, as they did two years ago, they should do something, they should take steps to unblock the Kiev regime- I don't know, Zelensky or somebody else will be found - to unblock the possibilities of negotiating with Russia at a legislative level. In this way, the West will show the world its true desire and its aspiration for peace," Zakharova claimed.
Zelensky previously signed a decree banning talks with Vladimir Putin, while the Russian side says negotiations on any settlement must include Moscow, and reflect the 'realities' of the situation - namely the four regions which voted to join Russia, and which Kiev insists was an 'annexation'.
On Friday, 1 March, Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT and the Rossiya Segodnya media group, published an audio recording of a conversation between four German senior officers, discussing the possible use of Taurus missiles in Ukraine, the supply of 100 such missiles and possible targets, including the Kerch Bridge.
"This is a real audio [in which] four Bundeswehr officers, citing, most strikingly, the experience of the Luftwaffe [German Air Force], discuss how it is possible to bomb our Crimean bridge like this and how many missiles would be enough - 10 or 20, and do it in such a way that no one understands anything and so that [German Chancellor] Scholz can continue to claim that he is not involved in the conflict and NATO is not involved in the conflict and that's not his headache," the RT's editor-in-chief said.
The German Defence Ministry subsequently confirmed the audio was genuine. Chancellor Olaf Scholz called it a 'very serious' security breach which would be 'investigated very carefully'. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius claimed it was part of Russia's 'information war' and said it didn't mean there had been a 'green light' to send Taurus.
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'.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an 'invasion.' Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.