Overview
- In October 2026 an online archive of roughly 280 gigabytes published about 421,000 emails and more than 48,000 documents from the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD).
- On November 6, joint investigations by ZDF, Der Spiegel and other outlets reported technical and behavioral links pointing to a US‑based programmer identified as Oleksij L. as a likely perpetrator.
- Reporters say multiple traces tie Oleksij L. to the anonymous account 'Versistance', including shared nicknames, matching webpages and joint contributions to publicly available app code.
- Investigators also uncovered links to a second suspected collaborator, a mid‑30s US‑based woman who has told contacts she served time for 'cyber‑terrorism', though her role is not confirmed by police.
- Experts who reviewed the files found digital signatures and other markers that support the archive's authenticity, the AfD has confirmed a breach, and law enforcement inquiries and online account deactivations are ongoing.