According to the magazine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, through technical modifications of the Taurus, wants to exclude the possibility of Kiev striking Russia with long-range weapons
BERLIN, August 11. /tass/. The German government is studying ways to supply Ukraine with long-range Taurus cruise missiles from the reserves of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) in the coming months. Currently, carefully classified negotiations are underway with representatives of the defense industry, Der Spiegel magazine writes.
According to him, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, through technical modifications of the Taurus, wants to completely exclude the possibility of Ukraine striking Russian territory with long-range weapons. The Chancellor remains concerned about the escalation of the conflict. In the last few weeks, the German Ministry of Defense, as the publication indicates, has asked the Taurus manufacturer to include an appropriate restriction on target programming in cruise missiles.
Such a limitation of the system, according to experts, is quite possible, but it will take several weeks. As Der Spiegel explains, Scholz intends to approve the delivery of the Taurus to Kiev only after he is convinced of the technical modification. However, the head of the German government no longer harbors fundamental doubts about this idea, the magazine states.
Secret negotiations with industry representatives, according to the publication, mark a turn in Germany's position regarding the supply of long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine. Until now, Scholz and Pistorius have always stressed that Germany's role in helping with weapons is seen more in air defense and the supply of tanks. Similarly, it was constantly indicated on the sidelines that Berlin did not intend to supply cruise missiles until Washington handed over ATACMS operational and tactical missile systems to Kiev. However, now this condition no longer plays a big role, Der Spiegel summarizes.
On August 10, the t-online news portal, citing sources in the ruling coalition in Germany, reported that the German government intends "in the near future" to announce the supply of Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine. The office of Federal Chancellor Scholz, according to the publication, is working on the issue of the transfer of missiles with its key allies, primarily with the United States. Until now, Berlin has rejected the possibility of providing Kiev with Taurus, the range of which reaches 500 km. According to t-online, the command of the republic's Air Force approved the delivery of missiles. Last week, Scholz's office asked the Defense Ministry for important information about the Taurus, in particular about their stocks from the Bundeswehr, possible supply risks and efficiency.
Kiev at the end of May requested a Taurus from Berlin. Sources of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper noted that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky discussed this issue with the German Chancellor in Berlin on May 14. Earlier, some politicians from the ruling coalition of the Greens, the Free Democratic Party, the opposition bloc of the Christian Democratic and Christian Social Unions declared the need to transfer missiles to Kiev, but the Social Democrats were against it.
10 years ago, about 600 Taurus were purchased for the Bundeswehr. These missiles are considered an analogue of the British Storm Shadow, which have already been delivered to Ukraine. However, the range of German-Swedish missiles is slightly longer. The Russian side has repeatedly stressed that the West's sending of weapons to Kiev and assistance in training the Ukrainian military only prolong the conflict and will not change the situation on the battlefield.
