As of: March 24, 2024, 10:35 a.m
By: Peter Sieben
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Press
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Putin supporters pose a growing threat in Germany, security circles say.
This is about more than just cyberattacks.
Berlin – The enemy is among us.
The risk of attacks by Putin supporters within Germany is increasing, according to security circles.
Just a few days ago, SPD interior expert Serap Güler warned in an interview with
IPPEN.MEDIA
about “massive disinformation campaigns” that were being pushed by, among others, Russia supporters living here.
Now the Bundestag's intelligence committee has also called on the government to better arm the country against Russian influence operations.
Controlled by Russia: Attacks are intended to unsettle society
In addition to potential physical attacks, this primarily refers to concerted actions that are intended to divide and unsettle society.
“The targeted use of disinformation campaigns has long been part of the Russian strategy, which aims to identify and expand social tensions in Europe and Germany,” explains extremism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler from the Counter Extremism Project in an interview with
IPPEN.MEDIA
.
One possibility: spread mass amounts of false information on certain topics until the population can hardly judge what is real and what is not.
“A particularly tragic example of this tactic is the shooting down of the MH17 airliner over eastern Ukraine in 2014,” said Schindler.
“Even a decade later and after numerous intensive international investigations that were able to show the facts in extreme detail, the Russian side continues to spread a large number of false statements.” Another example: The Lisa case from 2016. At that time, parts of the Russian-speaking community were in Germany A false report about an alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl by a “southerner” was spread.
This caused a huge media response in Russia.
The allegations later turned out to be fake news.
More than a cyberattack: Attacks from the pro-Putin community
“It was more than just a cyber attack.
We have to prepare ourselves for the fact that such attacks will soon occur more frequently from a pro-Putin community,” believes SPD interior expert Serap Güler.
“And the security authorities also need to focus more on this.”
Serap Güler (CDU) has been a member of the Bundestag since 2021.
© Peter Sieben
Such an approach is called hybrid warfare in jargon.
Since the Russian army's last invasion of Ukraine in 2022, security experts have observed an increase in activity within Germany.
To this end, Russian agents are apparently building up a real network of helpers.
“Right-wing extremists and conspiracy theorists and their efforts to organize themselves are actively supported by the Russian side,” explains Schindler.
To a limited extent, this could include people of Russian origin who live here.
It doesn't even depend on ideological agreement: "Anyone who can promote unrest and uncertainty in Germany will be accepted as a partner."
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Cooperations between Putin fans, right-wing extremists and Islamists
This sometimes leads to memorable fraternizations.
The “Awakening Peace-Sovereignty-Justice” party has existed since late summer 2023.
Among the members: numerous Putin supporters, right-wing extremists, lateral thinkers and ultra-conservative Muslims.
“It is quite possible that there could be temporary cooperation between right-wing extremists and extremist Islamists,” said Schindler.
The federal states also see the potential danger.
According to the NRW Interior Ministry, for tactical reasons it is not possible to go into details or individual groups that are the focus of the security authorities.
But: “Russian attempts to destabilize Germany are diverse.
It can be assumed that the threat situation will continue to be high in the future,” a spokeswoman told
IPPEN.MEDIA
.
Inhibition threshold for “state terrorist activities” has fallen
The inhibition threshold for “state terrorist activities” has fallen because “the limits of escalation have already been shifted due to the war”.
Individuals could also feel incited to commit sabotage attacks against critical infrastructure in Germany, for example.
Propaganda on social media, for example, could “manipulate people living here and radicalize them with regard to the war in Ukraine or the escalation between Russia and the Western community of states,” according to the Interior Ministry.