Russian Disinformation Campaign Targets German State Elections

German security authorities warn that a coordinated Russian disinformation operation is seeking to influence the upcoming state elections in Berlin, Saxony‑Anhalt and Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern. The campaign spreads fake‑news videos, mostly in English, that aim to smear centrist parties – the CDU, SPD, Greens and FDP – and to polarise the political climate.

The fabricated material includes alleged accusations of financial misconduct and sexual abuse against local politicians, and even physical propaganda such as cement blocks bearing misleading slogans found in Berlin. Officials note a likely boost for the far‑right AfD, which already enjoys strong poll numbers in Saxony‑Anhalt. Similar tactics were observed before the Armenian parliamentary election, and Russian actors are also reportedly working to clone Wikipedia as part of the influence effort.