A Russian disinformation initiative is aiming to bolster the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), weaken mainstream German political parties, and instill economic fears as the country approaches its election on February 23, according to findings from a think tank.

CeMAS, a German think tank, reported that it has identified hundreds of German-language posts on the social media platform X over the past month, which exhibit characteristics typical of Russia‘s Doppelgaenger disinformation strategy aimed at the West, a tactic previously condemned by German, U.S., and French authorities.

This campaign emerged following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with the goal of eroding Western support for Ukraine. It disseminates links to fabricated Western news sources that propagate false information, as highlighted in a German foreign ministry report released last June.

Russia has consistently refuted any involvement in disinformation efforts targeting the West. In recent weeks, the posts identified on X have attributed Germany’s economic challenges to the Greens party, criticized Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his backing of Ukraine, portrayed conservative parties as unreliable, and expressed support for the AfD, according to CeMAS.

The tracked posts have linked to fake German news websites or to articles on legitimate sites that align with their narrative, as well as sharing images. These posts, amplified by networks of fake accounts, have garnered over 2.8 million views, as reported by CeMAS.

This report emerges just a month before an election where Germany’s main opposition conservatives are anticipated to secure a victory. However, the AfD’s strong polling in second place could complicate coalition-building and governance if it manages to achieve a blocking minority.

MUSK FACTOR

In December, the anti-immigration party AfD received the backing of X owner Elon Musk, who also conducted a live discussion with the party’s chancellor candidate, Alice Weidel, on his platform this month. A recent survey by pollster INSA indicated that the conservatives are at 29%, while the AfD has surged to 21%, doubling its performance from the 2021 election. The Social Democrats, led by Scholz, are in third place with 16%, followed by the Greens at 13%.

In November, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency (BfV) announced the formation of a task force aimed at preventing any foreign state interference in the federal election. Germany stands as Ukraine’s second-largest financial and military supporter, working to assist the nation in resisting Russia’s extensive invasion that commenced nearly three years ago. According to the BfV, this support has led to a notable increase in “aggressive behavior” from Moscow towards Germany and its allies in Ukraine.