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Germany: Intelligence chief warns of Russian threat to 2026 regional elections, citing potential cyberattacks, sabotage, disinformation campaigns (thegaze.media)
submitted 3 days ago by Sepia@mander.xyz to c/europe@feddit.org
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...

Sinan Selen, head of Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), said in Berlin that Germany is under particular scrutiny from Moscow, as the country serves as a key NATO logistics hub and is a strong supporter of Ukraine.

He emphasized that Russia could exploit elections as a platform to influence public opinion and political processes.

In an interview with AFP, Selen noted that several state elections will take place in Germany next year, making the country vulnerable to disinformation campaigns.

According to him, Russian intelligence agencies have already actively carried out cyberattacks, sabotage, and online operations across Europe, which have intensified since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

"We are being attacked here and now in Europe," Selen said in a speech marking 75 years since the founding of the BfV.

...

It`s important to note that Russian election interference has become a consistent and established tactic for Moscow in neighboring countries.

In September 2025, Russia reportedly invested nearly €400 million in efforts to influence Moldova’s parliamentary elections and secure a victory for pro-Kremlin forces, according to parliamentary speaker Igor Grosu. The campaign included voter bribery, large-scale AI-driven disinformation, coordinated cyberattacks, and attempts to provoke street protests.

Despite Kremlin pressure, Moldovan voters elected the pro-European PAS party, which won a parliamentary majority.

Beyond financial operations, Russia also leveraged religious institutions to shape public opinion. Moldovan Orthodox priests received funding for pilgrimages to Moscow and, upon returning home, created Telegram channels for their parishes to spread anti-European narratives.

The Kremlin’s use of such legitimate platforms for political influence demonstrates that the threat of foreign election interference is systemic and widespread.

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[–] Ooops@feddit.org 4 points 3 days ago

And I thought the attacks to scare stupid people into voting for screaming right-wing morons in those months before the last election (and suddenly stopping after) were done with cars and knives instead of paper...