Germany: We Weren’t Compromised by Russian Spies, Just a ‘Bad Mistake’

Russian spies did not breach Germany’s communication systems to obtain audio of top officers discussing Taurus cruise missiles potentially being supplied to Ukraine—instead, a military officer had made the mistake of using an insecure line from a Singapore hotel, Germany’s defense minister said.

“Our communication systems were not compromised,” Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Tuesday, apparently seeking to dispel concerns of a breach in military communications. He told reporters at a press conference that he was “very irritated” by the incident, as it distracted from more serious issues facing Ukraine as it struggles to fend off Russia’s invasion.

But he admitted that a “bad mistake” had been made, saying that “something like this should not have happened.” Earlier, he called the leaked audio a “hybrid disinformation attack” by Moscow.

Read more at The Daily Beast.