Germany has formally summoned Russia’s ambassador in Berlin following concrete evidence of state-sponsored hybrid warfare operations targeting German infrastructure and democratic processes. The German Foreign Ministry presented detailed allegations of cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and election interference orchestrated by Moscow.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Martin Giese identified GRU, Russia’s military intelligence agency, as the primary actor behind these coordinated attacks. The agency has been directly linked to a sophisticated 2024 cyber intrusion against German air traffic control systems, allegedly executed through the hacker collective APT28, also known as Fancy Bear.
Investigative findings reveal that GRU operatives attempted to manipulate Germany’s recent federal election through ‘Storm 1516,’ a comprehensive influence operation deploying artificially generated content, deepfake imagery, and fabricated witness statements across multiple platforms. This campaign represents the latest in a series of Russian efforts to undermine European democratic institutions, building upon previous interference operations including those targeting the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
The German government has announced it will implement countermeasures against Russian hybrid warfare tactics. These developments coincide with the European Union’s decision to indefinitely freeze Russian state assets within its jurisdiction, ensuring these resources can be directed toward supporting Ukraine’s defense efforts against Russian aggression.
Giese emphasized that these attacks aim to fracture social cohesion, erode public trust, and weaken confidence in democratic governance. Germany remains committed to strengthening its cybersecurity infrastructure while continuing military and financial support for Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict.