 "‘Storm-1516’: Germany warns of Russian disinformation campaign ahead of election")
Two days before a general election, Germany warned on Friday of a Russian disinformation operation, targeting voters with fake videos spreading on social media and seeking to help the far-right AfD and “destroy confidence in democracy”.
The campaign was linked to the so-called ”Storm-1516,” a pro-Russian influence operation previously observed in the 2024 US presidential election that was investigated by US authorities, interior ministry spokesman Maximilian Kall said.
Security agencies in Leipzig and Hamburg have uncovered a network of pseudo-media sites and social media accounts, raising alarms about Russian efforts to interfere in democratic processes.
In one instance, a video circulated in Leipzig falsely suggested that a candidate from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party had been omitted from an electoral list, preventing voters from casting a second vote for the party, as reported on the city’s official website.
The network, dubbed “Storm-1516,” disseminates misleading or fabricated content through social media and its own websites, employing sensationalist reports to amplify its reach, according to the interior ministry.
The operation begins by creating fake social media accounts and pseudo-media sites as “sleepers,” initially populating them with neutral or pro-Russian content before deploying them for disinformation campaigns. Leipzig city authorities stated, “The city is currently examining what legal steps must be taken as a result of these videos.”
Kall said officials believe the campaigns were “quite targeted at the parliamentary elections” but did not have a “wide reach”.
Kall stressed that “the free electoral process in Germany is guaranteed, and we will continue to promptly refute relevant misinformation”.
Impact Shorts
View AllThe aim of one campaign seeks to suggest the AfD, which is sympathetic to Russia, was being unfairly treated. Kall said that the campaign involved videos falsely claiming that ballots in the eastern city of Leipzig had been sent out without the AfD on them.
Other false videos, purportedly from the northern city of Hamburg, showed what were said to be ballots for the AfD being thrown in a shredder, he said.
Local election officials quickly worked out the videos were disinformation, Kall added.
The AfD, second in the polls on around 20 percent, has been accused of having links to Moscow and has called for Germany to end its military support for Ukraine.
Germany’s mainstream parties have long pledged not to cooperate with the AfD, leading the far-right party to accuse their rivals of freezing them out of the democratic process.
Kall, in response to questioning, also said German officials were not aware of disinformation campaigns directed from the United States.
Last week, US Vice President JD Vance in a blistering speech called on Germany’s mainstream parties to drop their refusal to work with the AfD while key Trump ally Elon Musk has vocally backed the far-right party.
With inputs from agencies
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