EU warns of disinformation: Germany in the focus of Russian fake news

Tuesday, March 9th, 2021

EU warns of disinformation
Germany in the focus of Russian fake news

According to an EU report, Germany is the main target of Russian disinformation campaigns within Europe. The authors list more than 700 attacks against the Federal Republic. They accuse the Kremlin of "duplicity" in relation to Berlin.

According to a study by the EU, Germany is more in the focus of Russian disinformation campaigns than any other country in the European Union. "No other EU member state is being attacked more violently than Germany," says a report published by the EU's Foreign Service in Brussels. There are systematic campaigns both at the political level and through media close to the Kremlin. At the same time, German politicians are accused of avoiding dialogue with Russia.

Since the end of 2015, more than 700 cases have been collected in the EU database "EU vs. Disinfo" on the Federal Republic. France, on the other hand, was attacked a good 300 times, Italy a good 170 times and Spain more than 40 times. The EU's Foreign Service analyzes publicly available media reports and statements on its website "EU vs. Disinfo".

Accusation of "duplicity"

"The Kremlin creates an intellectual image of Germany in which there are a few reasonable voices in a chorus of irrational 'Russophobia'," the report says. Several campaigns by the Russian media are cited as evidence.

Since the beginning of February, the story of a Russian family in Berlin has been exploited whose three children have been taken into custody by the authorities because their well-being has been endangered. According to the report, Russian media and politicians accused the German authorities of systematically suppressing Russians in Germany. A website described the incident as a "response to (the Russian Kremlin critic Alexej) Navalny".

The EU report sees a "duplicity" of Russia. Stories like this are often not distributed in the German-language offers of the Russian media. The Kremlin and the Foreign Ministry were ready to talk while they allowed the attacks on Germany and other EU countries. This would sow uncertainty and discord, and Russian officials would have more room for maneuver.