A Kremlin-linked bot network operated by a group known as Matryoshka has launched a large-scale disinformation campaign in Germany, spreading fabricated news clips and manipulated newspaper front pages in an apparent attempt to influence upcoming regional elections and boost far-right and left-populist parties, according to a new investigation.
The probe, led by the Antibot4Navalny project and reported by DW, identified at least 135 short videos and 18 forged images over the past month that were designed to mimic reports from Germany’s most trusted media outlets — including FAZ, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Die Zeit, ARD, ZDF and Deutsche Welle. The false narratives ranged from accusations of pedophilia to shadow real estate dealings, all leveled against German political figures.
Fake news across social media platforms
The material was disseminated primarily through the social network X, as well as on Bluesky and TikTok, with the network specifically targeting voters in eastern Germany. Researchers say the campaign is being run by Matryoshka, a bot network linked to Russia’s intelligence services, and began intensifying in late June.
The timing coincides with a series of critical ballots: state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, municipal elections in Lower Saxony, and the Berlin state election — all scheduled for September. Investigators assess that the operation is intended to sway public sentiment in regions where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the left-populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) have traditionally performed well.
Kremlin objectives and financial imbalance
Both AfD and BSW have positioned themselves in alignment with several Kremlin talking points — opposing military aid to Ukraine, questioning the effectiveness of Western sanctions and criticizing NATO deployments. Analysts note that the disinformation campaign appears calibrated to amplify these messages and further polarize the electorate, eroding trust in democratic institutions.
The sheer scale of Moscow’s overseas propaganda effort dwarfs European countermeasures. According to Western media estimates, Russia spends approximately €1.3 billion annually on foreign influence operations, whereas the European Union allocated just €5 million in 2025 to strengthen media literacy and societal resilience against disinformation.
The findings invite renewed scrutiny of hybrid tactics that exploit fragmented social media environments, as investigators stress that the coordinated use of forgeries under the mastheads of established news organizations represents a direct assault on information integrity ahead of sensitive electoral moments.
