Germany’s Ministry of the Interior has expressed concern about potential interference by the Russian Federation in the local elections set to take place in the eastern regions of the country this year. According to ministry officials, there is a real threat that Russian intelligence services and propaganda structures could influence the election results by employing a wide range of hybrid warfare tools, including cyberattacks, the spread of disinformation and propaganda materials, and manipulation of social media platforms.
Cybersecurity experts note that Russia already has considerable experience in such operations, which raises particular concerns in the context of the upcoming elections.
It is worth noting that similar actions by Russia were observed during previous elections in various countries, including the U.S. presidential elections and the European Parliament elections. Germany has also been repeatedly targeted by such attacks.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior of Germany stated that Russia is attempting to “illegally influence public debates and the political decision-making process in Germany.” Since the onset of the full-scale war in Ukraine, there has been an increase in disinformation from both Russian officials and state-owned and pro-Kremlin media on various information platforms and social media. “They use false information to inflame emotional debates and deliberately set social groups against each other,” the spokesperson noted.
Therefore, it is essential to counteract Russian propaganda, disinformation, and information operations that the Kremlin systematically employs to destabilize European countries. Reducing the impact of Russian manipulations in the information space will strengthen security in Europe, diminish the Kremlin’s influence, and protect democratic institutions.
