Russia steps up disinformation campaigns ahead of German elections, security sources say
DW Fact Check identified more than 180 fake posts that impersonate major media outlets and target local politicians ahead of state elections.
- German security sources say a Russian-linked influence operation, Matryoshka/Overload, has disseminated over 180 fabricated videos and posts on social media platforms since September 2023, targeting state election candidates to polarize voters.
- Investigative collective Antibot4Navalny found technical links between the operation and Storm-1516, a unit reportedly controlled by Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU, which was active during Germany's 2025 federal election.
- Left party candidate Eric Stehr in Saxony-Anhalt became a target of professionally produced fake videos; after X declined to remove the content, Stehr said he plans to file a criminal complaint.
- The campaign aims to polarize the political climate and could benefit the far-right Alternative for Germany in eastern states, while fabricated videos have promoted false narratives about German reunification, which 64% of western Germans support.
- CeMAS researcher Julia Smirnova said the operation continues Russia's long-term strategy of "supporting parties perceived as more Russia-friendly while discrediting other parties," though experts note posts often receive over 100,000 views with modest overall influence.
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47 Articles
Russia steps up disinformation before German elections, security sources say
Russian-backed disinformation campaigns are escalating in Germany ahead of state elections, often targeting local political rivals of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, German security sources said. Opinion polls suggest the AfD, whose leader pledged to restore Germany’s ties with Russia, is poised to make substantial gains in next month’s ballots in Berlin and […]
All parties, except the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the populist Sarah Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), have reportedly been targeted.
The escalation of the Russian disinformation campaign ahead of the local elections, the fake videos in English, the targeting of democratic parties and the mystery of the paradoxical strategy. The post The Kremlin's "whispers" in the German ballot boxes appeared first on in.gr.
Russia has reinforced its disinformation campaign prior to the September state elections, according to information from security circles.
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