German counterintelligence warns of Russian Matryoshka bot campaign before September’s state and local elections
Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has issued an official warning about a Russian disinformation campaign ahead of several state and local elections scheduled for September. The agency directly linked the campaign to the Russian Matryoshka bot network, which The Insider has extensively covered in its reporting. “This campaign is characterized by short…
Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) has issued an official warning regarding a Russian disinformation campaign targeting state and local elections in September. The agency explicitly identified the Russian Matryoshka bot network as the perpetrators of this campaign. These bots disseminate short English-language videos that imitate the style of prominent German media outlets, employing sensational headlines and biased claims.
Their objectives include polarizing East and West Germany, fostering anti-federal sentiment, and tarnishing the reputations of state and local politicians. In August, these bots circulated posts on X (formerly Twitter) using the hashtag #TimeToDivideGermany, advocating for a historical split of Germany into East and West. The BfV highlighted that in 2026, regional and local politicians were specifically targeted with smear campaigns, primarily affecting politicians from parties with differing political positions from the Russian Federation.
The upcoming elections will see the voters electing state parliaments (Landtags) in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, both in Eastern Germany, along with Berlin's parliament and local offices in Lower Saxony. French presidential candidate Gabriel Attal, leader of the Renaissance party, has filed a complaint alleging foreign interference by Russian online networks.
French intelligence agencies, including the General Secretariat for Defense and National Security and Viginum agency, have confirmed the involvement of the Matryoshka bot network with a high level of confidence. Earlier this month, The Insider reported on eight fabricated videos that appeared to be from reputable French news outlets, including BFM, RFI, Le Parisien, AFP, France 24, Le Figaro, Libération, and Le Monde.
These videos were part of the Kremlin and GRU's disinformation campaign targeting Emmanuel Macron's political heir ahead of France's 2027 election.
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