Germany's plans to expand its military to 260,000 active-duty personnel by the mid-2030s face a major challenge after a survey revealed widespread sexual misconduct in the armed forces.
A survey of 45,000 soldiers found that two out of five women had experienced inappropriate sexual behavior in the past year, while 2% of service members reported sexual violence.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called the findings a systemic problem, and pledged tougher investigations, sanctions and support for victims.
The revelations come as Germany accelerates its military build-up in response to Russian aggression, with the number of troops recently surpassing 190,000 for the first time since 2013.
Source: Bloomberg