NATO’s deputy commander for Ukraine support has been dismissed over a rape-related remark he made during a high-level meeting, Der Spiegel reported on Tuesday.
Major General Hartmut Renk told a gathering in February “If rape is inevitable, relax and enjoy.”
Following a formal complaint from a female British officer, Renk admitted to making the comment but reportedly used it sarcastically to motivate his team, according to the outlet.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and General Carsten Breuer, the head of the German armed forces, oversaw an investigation, after which, the minister removed Renk from his NATO post, canceled his planned promotion to a role in the US, and initiated disciplinary proceedings.
The two-star general now reportedly faces early retirement.
Hellbound and Down 