The German Ministry of Interior warned on Friday of a Russian misinformation operation that tries to influence the federal electoral campaign of the country with false videos that extend on social networks in Hamburg and Leipzig.
The Ministry said there were indications that the campaign was linked to the so-called “Storm-1516”, a pro-ruse influence operation previously observed in the presidential elections of the United States in 2024 investigated by US authorities.
Security agencies in Leipzig and Hamburg have identified multiple pseudo-medium sites and social media accounts as part of the network, which reinforces concerns about Russian interference in democratic processes.
The Russian Embassy in Berlin did not respond to a request for comments.
A video circulated in the eastern city of Leipzig gave the impression that a candidate for the extreme right -wing alternative for the German party was lost an electoral list and that no second vote could be cast for the party, according to the official website of the city.
The “Storm-1516” network spreads deceptive or false content through social networks and their own websites, using sensational reports to maximize the scope, the Interior Ministry said.
First create non-authentic social media accounts and pseudo-medium sites such as “sleeping”, initially filling them with neutral pro-ruso content before activating them for misinformation.
“The city is currently examining what legal steps should be taken as a result of these videos,” said the authorities of the city of Leipzig in a statement.
On Thursday, the researchers who work with the Robert Bosch Foundation in Germany said that a network of more than 700 false social media accounts has emerged in the last week of Germany’s electoral campaign, promoting pro-ruse narratives and demonizing the favorite conservative For Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
