(MENAFN) In a significant diplomatic move, the German Foreign Ministry has announced the temporary recall of Ambassador Alexander Lambsdorff from Moscow. The decision follows accusations leveled against the Kremlin for orchestrating a hacking attack targeting senior members of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD), led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
According to German authorities, the hacking incident, allegedly perpetrated by a group identified as 'АРТ28,' purportedly linked to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, exploited vulnerabilities in Microsoft Outlook software to spy on the SPD leadership. This cyber assault is framed within a broader context of a sustained campaign targeting various entities within Germany, with NATO and European Union partners purportedly assisting in identifying the responsible party.
Describing cyberattacks as a grave threat to democracy, national security, and societal freedom, the German embassy in Moscow underscored the seriousness of the incident. Meanwhile, the Russian embassy in Berlin responded to the allegations by dismissing them as lacking evidence and characterized the demarche from the German Foreign Ministry as an unfriendly act aimed at stoking anti-Russian sentiments.
This latest development adds strain to already tense Russian-German relations, exacerbated by a leaked recording in March revealing discussions among senior German military officers regarding Berlin's involvement in the Ukraine conflict. The tape, published by Russian media outlets, ignited controversy by exposing deliberations on concealing the potential role of German troops in a hypothetical attack on Crimea using Taurus cruise missiles, further complicating the diplomatic landscape between the two nations.
MENAFN07052024000045015687ID1108181441
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.