German military attaché targeted by Russian television

A Swedish diplomat and a German military attaché are accused of cheating on Russian television. A video should show the guests in the restaurant.

A Russian TV report accused a Swedish military attaché and his guests of failing to pay a bill in full after dinner. The German head of the Moscow military attaché staff, Brigadier General Holger de Groot, and their wives are said to have also been present.

On the video of the Russian channel ntv, which was distributed on the Internet, the guests in the restaurant on the island of Olkhon in Lake Baikal can be seen, and a bill is also presented. It totaled 8,060 rubles – about 89 euros. According to the bill, prawns and a salad with trout were eaten, among other things. The authenticity of the video and the time and place of recording cannot be independently verified. However, one of the two men looks very similar to the German military attaché.

The guests allegedly did not pay the full amount and left, the report said. Apparently there is a difference of 2,000 rubles (22 euros). When the waiter brought the bill, they are said to have pointed out their diplomatic status.

The report also includes an alleged letter from the Swedish diplomat, in which he previously asked Russian restaurants for discounts. On the grounds that you visit well-known restaurants very often and could also bring them new customers. It is unclear whether this letter actually existed and whether the restaurant mentioned agreed.

In front of the restaurant, the restaurant owner spoke to the diplomats, according to the Russian television report. He called the police, but the minivan with the guests left. The video shows the two envoys from Sweden and Germany apparently taking pictures with their cell phones.

The CDU foreign politician Knut Abraham spoke to the “Bild” newspaper of harassment. “The actions of the Russians show what primitive ideas they now think they have to use to harass foreign diplomats. The accusation of cheating is so obviously ridiculous that it wouldn’t even be suitable for a simple spy comic,” he said Sheet.

According to “Bild”, the Federal Foreign Office has rejected a statement on the allegations described by the newspaper as “fake” and spoke of a “private matter”. The paper also claims to have learned that there are currently talks about diplomatic contingents in embassies and cultural institutes. Further expulsions are also planned.