German security services have detected what they describe as Russian intervention attempts aimed at influencing the upcoming autumn state parliamentary elections and discrediting parties perceived as not pro-Russian, the dpa news agency reported on Wednesday citing security sources.
Who is being targeted and how?
According to the sources, all contesting parties that are not pro-Russian have become targets of disinformation campaigns except for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the radical left Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW). The attacks have predominantly taken place online and involved several hundred smear videos aimed at parties or individual politicians. Some of these videos have later been partially removed; to create a veneer of credibility they were doctored with logos of established German media outlets and posted on platforms including X.
The sources said the campaign is part of the so-called "Matryoshka operation," which the Berlin government also experienced during last year’s federal election.
When and where are the elections?
State parliamentary elections are scheduled in Germany in September: on 6 September 2026 in Saxony-Anhalt, and on 20 September 2026 in Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania and the city-state of Berlin. In the two former states the AfD is considered a leading contender, and in Saxony-Anhalt it could potentially win an absolute majority.
What narratives were used?
Federal security sources said the Russian side initially sought to exacerbate tensions between residents of eastern and western Germany using false claims—for example, alleging that children from East Germany were being mistreated in West German schools. It later moved to attempts to discredit politicians with fabricated corruption or sexual allegations.
Part of a broader hybrid threat
German government sources describe these activities as only one element of a larger hybrid threat originating from Russia aimed at Germany. The operation rests on an extensive disinformation system involving both state and non-state actors and is part of a long-term strategy. According to the sources, short-term tactics include exploiting every opportunity to divide German society, increasingly using sophisticated methods such as artificial intelligence.
Why this matters
The campaign underscores that electoral information operations are not only part of domestic political contests but can also be instruments of external geopolitical influence. The warnings from German security services highlight the need to identify and counter manipulated content on social platforms quickly to safeguard free and fair elections.
Tags
Germany, Russia, disinformation, hybrid warfare, state election, AfD, artificial intelligence
