Overview
- The Foreign Office attributed the August 2024 breach at Deutsche Flugsicherung to APT28, saying the GRU was responsible; the attack hit administrative IT and did not disrupt flights.
- Authorities linked the Storm 1516 operation to GRU-supported groups including the Center for Geopolitical Expertise and the Doppelkopfadler movement, citing fake sites, deepfakes and fabricated clips targeting candidates and alleging ballot tampering.
- Russian Ambassador Sergei Nechaev was summoned as the government cited what it called hard intelligence evidence of Russian state involvement.
- Germany is coordinating countermeasures with EU partners, backing targeted sanctions and preparing Schengen travel controls for Russian diplomats from January 2026, with further bilateral restrictions under consideration.
- The Interior Ministry plans a new interagency platform to counter hybrid threats, noting a rise in disinformation, espionage, cyberattacks and attempted sabotage.