Yesterday, we detailed the leak of a wiretapped telephone conversation in which senior German officers discuss the use of German Taurus missiles, training, the capabilities of this system and the possibility of destroying the Crimean bridge.

They revealed many interesting facts. Embarrassing for the Germans, who have now launched an investigation...

As The FT reports, German chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised a full investigation after Russia published a recording of a phone call between senior German air force officers in which they appeared to discuss supplying missiles to Ukraine.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with Pope Francis in Rome, Scholz described the incident as a "very serious affair".

"It will be investigated very carefully, intensively and quickly," he said.

"It is also necessary to do so."

Politicians from parties in Scholz's coalition expressed concern that Russia may have eavesdropped on other sensitive conversations, and that government communications may no longer be adequately protected.

The German defence ministry said:

"According to our assessment, a Luftwaffe conversation was tapped. We cannot say for sure whether changes were made to the recorded or transcribed version that is circulating on social media."

Konstantin von Notz, a senior Green MP, said it must be swiftly established if the "eavesdropping scandal is a one-time event or a structural problem".

Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, head of the Bundestag defence committee, told the news agency RND that the Russians were trying to scare Scholz off from allowing the delivery of Taurus missiles.

But the cat is out of the bag.