Targeting Germany: Russia’s Disinformation Campaign Ahead of Federal Election
Last Week’s Sensationalist Claim
Last week, Stephan Protschka, a member of Parliament for the far-right party Alternative for Germany, took to Facebook and Telegram to share a sensationalist article. The country’s Green Party, it claimed, was conspiring with the Ukrainian government to recruit migrants to stage terrorist attacks—and blame his party.
A Torrent of Russian Disinformation
As the vote approaches, Russian influence campaigns have propagated wild claims about sexual, financial, and criminal scandals involving German politicians, playing on social and political tensions that have divided the country, according to researchers who track disinformation and foreign influence operations.
The Goal: Undermine Trust and Bolster the Far Right
The claims have appeared in fake news outlets and in videos that have been altered by artificial intelligence. They have been spread by an army of bot accounts on social media platforms like Facebook, Telegram, and, in a new development, Bluesky. The goal, according to the researchers and Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, is to undermine trust in mainstream parties and media and to bolster Germany’s far right, led by the Alternative for Germany, known as AfD.
Elon Musk’s Support for the Alternative for Germany
Aiming at the same target is the world’s richest man, Elon Musk. His public support of the Alternative for Germany on X, the social media network he owns, has aligned with Russia’s strategic objective to destabilize Western democracies and support for Ukraine.
Mutual Reinforcement
"We’re now dealing with a dual front," said Sasha Havlicek, chief executive of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a nonprofit research organization that on Thursday released a report about the Russian disinformation campaign on X. "Between Musk’s overt and the Kremlin’s covert operations, it is clear from the content that there’s mutual reinforcement there."
Targeting Germany’s Election
Germany’s election has become the latest battleground in Russia’s influence campaigns. The Kremlin hopes the outcome of the contest, called ahead of schedule after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left coalition collapsed late last year, could erode support in Europe for Ukraine, where Russian invaders are grinding down the country’s defenses after three years of war.
Fake News Maven
In Germany, Russia is employing tactics it has honed in France, Moldova, Georgia, the United States, and other countries that have recently held elections, according to disinformation researchers including from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, CeMAS, and Recorded Future, a threat intelligence company based in Massachusetts.
Deepfakes of Regular People
Not all fake videos feature prominent politicians. Another tactic that has been gaining momentum is altering videos that feature regular people. In January, Natalie Finch, a mental health nurse, made a promotional video on Instagram for the college in Britain where she works, the University of Bradford. Two weeks later the video reappeared on Bluesky, except this time she was not speaking about nursing but the mental health of candidates for Germany’s Christian Democratic Union.
Conclusion
The impact of Russia’s campaign on the outcome of the election remains uncertain. The researchers say the efforts have not so far meaningfully altered voter preferences, but the huge volume of disinformation has certainly seeped into the public discourse, carefully tailored to compound existing social grievances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the goal of Russia’s disinformation campaign in Germany?
A: The goal is to undermine trust in mainstream parties and media and to bolster Germany’s far right, led by the Alternative for Germany.
Q: Who is supporting the Alternative for Germany?
A: Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has publicly supported the Alternative for Germany on X, the social media network he owns.
Q: What is the impact of the disinformation campaign on the election?
A: The impact is uncertain, but the huge volume of disinformation has certainly seeped into the public discourse, carefully tailored to compound existing social grievances.
Q: How is the disinformation campaign spread?
A: The claims have appeared in fake news outlets and in videos that have been altered by artificial intelligence. They have been spread by an army of bot accounts on social media platforms like Facebook, Telegram, and Bluesky.
