Germany Accuses Russia of Cyberattacks and Election Interference, Summons Ambassador

Overview

• Germany’s Foreign Ministry said investigations identified two Russian operations targeting aviation security and the February federal elections, and it summoned Moscow’s ambassador.
• Officials attributed the August 2024 aviation-security hack to APT28, also known as Fancy Bear, a group linked by Western agencies to Russian military intelligence.
• Authorities said the ‘Storm 1516’ operation aimed to destabilize the vote through fabricated investigations, AI-generated content, deepfakes, and impersonation of journalists.
• Berlin said it is working with European partners on a range of responses and could support new EU sanctions on individuals and entities involved in hybrid activities.
• The UK announced sanctions on the Rybar outlet and the Pravfond foundation over influence operations and alleged GRU links, as European governments warn of escalating hybrid threats.