Skip to Content
logologo
AI Incident Database
Open TwitterOpen RSS FeedOpen FacebookOpen LinkedInOpen GitHub
Open Menu
Discover
Submit
  • Welcome to the AIID
  • Discover Incidents
  • Spatial View
  • Table View
  • List view
  • Entities
  • Taxonomies
  • Submit Incident Reports
  • Submission Leaderboard
  • Blog
  • AI News Digest
  • Risk Checklists
  • Random Incident
  • Sign Up
Collapse
Discover
Submit
  • Welcome to the AIID
  • Discover Incidents
  • Spatial View
  • Table View
  • List view
  • Entities
  • Taxonomies
  • Submit Incident Reports
  • Submission Leaderboard
  • Blog
  • AI News Digest
  • Risk Checklists
  • Random Incident
  • Sign Up
Collapse

Incident 929: Sustained AI-Driven Russian Disinformation Campaigns Doppelgänger, Storm-1516, and Matryoshka Reportedly Disrupting German Federal Elections

Description: Leading up to Germany’s February 23, 2025, federal election, the alleged Russian Doppelgänger, Storm-1516, and Matryoshka (Operation Overload) disinformation campaigns have reportedly been deploying AI-generated deepfake videos and fake news sites to spread false claims about German politicians and public figures. AI-powered bots have allegedly been amplifying the content across social media. Researchers suggest the campaign sought to erode trust in Germany’s democratic process. Germany's domestic intelligence agency (BfV) described the scale as unprecedented.
Editor Notes: As with most disinformation campaigns, this incident presents certain editorial challenges. Here is a reconstruction of the reported timeline of events pertaining to this incident: (1) On November 12, 2024, Germany announced a snap federal election following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition government. (2) On November 21, 2024, John Mark Dougan, a former U.S. sheriff’s deputy who received asylum in Russia, is reported to have begun registering dozens of fake German news websites to spread disinformation. (See Incident 701 for more information on him.) (3) By February 2025, the number of these fake news sites had reportedly grown to 102, some masquerading as national news outlets, others as local media. (4) Earlier, in January 2025, Elon Musk interviewed Alice Weidel, co-leader of Alternative for Germany (AfD), for 75 minutes on X, which reportedly further amplified AfD’s reach. (5) Also that month, deepfake videos reportedly connected to this campaign began appearing online, including a purportedly manipulated video of Natalie Finch, a British mental health nurse, whose promotional video for the University of Bradford was altered to falsely discuss Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU). (6) On January 30, 2025, a fake news site is alleged to have uploaded a deepfake video falsely claiming that Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck conspired with Ukraine to steal 50 paintings from a Berlin art gallery. (7) Around the same time, another deepfake video is reported to have falsely implicated Friedrich Merz, the leader of the CDU and a front-runner for chancellor, as a "person of interest" in a 20-year-old murder case. (8) Throughout January 2025, bot networks allegedly linked to Russian disinformation groups amplified false claims on X, Telegram, Facebook, and Bluesky, with reports suggesting that they largely were supporting the AfD and targeting mainstream political figures. (9) By early February 2025, Russian-linked bot networks had reportedly driven 2.5 million views to disinformation content on X, tripling engagement levels. (10) On February 13, 2025, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue released a report detailing the extent of Russian disinformation and AI-driven election interference in Germany. It can be accessed here: https://www.isdglobal.org/digital_dispatches/coordinated-disinformation-network-uses-ai-media-impersonation-to-target-german-election/. Depending on which investigation one reads, Doppelgänger and Matryoshka may receive more or less emphasis. For example, while The New York Times mentions Doppelgänger and not Matryoshka, the ISD mentions Matryoshka and not Doppelgänger. Please also refer to (1) Incident 909: Matryoshka Campaign Allegedly Uses Deepfakes to Impersonate Academics for Pro-Russian Propaganda and (2) Incident 931: Manipulated TikTok Videos Misrepresent Anti-AfD Protests as Far-Right Rallies.

Tools

New ReportNew ReportNew ResponseNew ResponseDiscoverDiscoverView HistoryView History

Entities

View all entities
Alleged: Unknown entities related to Doppelgänger and Unknown deepfake technology developer developed an AI system deployed by Storm-1516 , Russian government , Operation Overload , Matryoshka , John Mark Dougan and Doppelganger, which harmed Unnamed British police officer , Unnamed American university presidents , Robert Habeck , Olaf Scholz , Natalie Finch , German voters , German politicians , German federal election integrity , General public of Germany , Friedrich Merz , Electoral integrity , Democracy and Academics targeted by Matryoshka.
Alleged implicated AI systems: X (Twitter) , Unknown voice cloning technology , Unknown deepfake apps , Telegram , Facebook and Bluesky

Incident Stats

Incident ID
929
Report Count
16
Incident Date
2024-12-06
Editors
Daniel Atherton

Incident Reports

Reports Timeline

+1
AI fakes, cyberattacks threaten German election
America Resilient in the Face of Aggressive Foreign Malign Influence Targeting the 2024 U.S. Elections+1
Russia-linked AI websites aim to dupe German voters, study finds
+1
Falsche Tonspur: Tiktok-Videos verkaufen Demos gegen Rechtsextremismus als Proteste für AfD
+4
AI-driven Russian disinformation campaign targets German elections
+2
How are web platforms protecting the German electorate from fake news?
Fake News: Germany Under Attack. This Is Where The Wave Of Disinformation Is Coming FromRussia-linked fake videos spread German election fraud claims, authorities warn
AI fakes, cyberattacks threaten German election

AI fakes, cyberattacks threaten German election

dw.com

America Resilient in the Face of Aggressive Foreign Malign Influence Targeting the 2024 U.S. Elections

America Resilient in the Face of Aggressive Foreign Malign Influence Targeting the 2024 U.S. Elections

fdd.org

Russia-linked AI websites aim to dupe German voters, study finds

Russia-linked AI websites aim to dupe German voters, study finds

reuters.com

Network of Russian-linked sites identified to influence German election

Network of Russian-linked sites identified to influence German election

en.belsat.eu

Falsche Tonspur: Tiktok-Videos verkaufen Demos gegen Rechtsextremismus als Proteste für AfD

Falsche Tonspur: Tiktok-Videos verkaufen Demos gegen Rechtsextremismus als Proteste für AfD

correctiv.org

Disinformation Clouds German Federal Election 2025

Disinformation Clouds German Federal Election 2025

evrimagaci.org

AI-driven Russian disinformation campaign targets German elections

AI-driven Russian disinformation campaign targets German elections

euractiv.com

Putin’s bot army tries to swing German election

Putin’s bot army tries to swing German election

politico.eu

Fake TikTok videos show hundreds of thousands marching for AfD in Germany

Fake TikTok videos show hundreds of thousands marching for AfD in Germany

euronews.com

Disinformation wave on rise in Germany ahead of elections

Disinformation wave on rise in Germany ahead of elections

ukrinform.net

Germany to vote on Feb 23, report says Putin is trying to influence voters

Germany to vote on Feb 23, report says Putin is trying to influence voters

firstpost.com

How are web platforms protecting the German electorate from fake news?

How are web platforms protecting the German electorate from fake news?

euronews.com

Between Russia and Elon Musk, German Voters Face a ‘Dual Front’ of Disinformation

Between Russia and Elon Musk, German Voters Face a ‘Dual Front’ of Disinformation

nytimes.com

The Kremlin wants to influence German elections through disinformation

The Kremlin wants to influence German elections through disinformation

truthmeter.mk

Fake News: Germany Under Attack. This Is Where The Wave Of Disinformation Is Coming From

Fake News: Germany Under Attack. This Is Where The Wave Of Disinformation Is Coming From

corriere.it

Russia-linked fake videos spread German election fraud claims, authorities warn

Russia-linked fake videos spread German election fraud claims, authorities warn

politico.eu

AI fakes, cyberattacks threaten German election
dw.com · 2024

Germany is bracing for digital threats in the run-up to the general election.

With the country expected to elect a new parliament on February 23, authorities and researchers are raising concerns about the potential impact of hack-and-leak o…

America Resilient in the Face of Aggressive Foreign Malign Influence Targeting the 2024 U.S. Elections
fdd.org · 2024

America’s adversaries did not significantly affect the results of the 2024 U.S. elections — but not for lack of trying. Russia, Iran, and China waged aggressive influence operations targeting America’s political system, but America proved r…

Russia-linked AI websites aim to dupe German voters, study finds
reuters.com · 2025

BERLIN, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Fact-checking firm Newsguard and German investigative outlet Correctiv said on Thursday they had identified a cluster of Russia-linked websites that were spreading false stories in an apparent bid to sway Germany'…

Network of Russian-linked sites identified to influence German election
en.belsat.eu · 2025

Fact-checking firm NewsGuard and investigative website Correctiv said Thursday they have identified a group of Russian-linked websites spreading false information to influence the German parliamentary elections scheduled for February.

A joi…

Falsche Tonspur: Tiktok-Videos verkaufen Demos gegen Rechtsextremismus als Proteste für AfD
correctiv.org · 2025

Mehrere Tiktok-Videos mit teils millionenfachen Aufrufen zeigen große Demonstrationen, bei denen „Ost, Ost, Ostdeutschland"-Rufe zu hören sind. Die Profile, die sie verbreiten, heißen „Alice Weidel Fan" oder „AfD John". In den Kommentaren s…

Disinformation Clouds German Federal Election 2025
evrimagaci.org · 2025

With the countdown to the German federal election on February 27, 2025, the political atmosphere is buzzing with both anticipation and tension. Social media platforms are rife with disinformation about candidates and political parties, prom…

AI-driven Russian disinformation campaign targets German elections
euractiv.com · 2025

This article is part of our special report The dark side of AI innovation is supercharging disinformation and damaging democracy.

A Russian influence operation known as "Storm-1516" has set up over 100 websites using artificial intelligence…

Putin’s bot army tries to swing German election
politico.eu · 2025

BERLIN --- Russian bots have driven a dramatic surge of disinformation on the social media platform X days before Germany's election, according to a government report seen by POLITICO.

At the center of the effort to influence German voters …

Fake TikTok videos show hundreds of thousands marching for AfD in Germany
euronews.com · 2025

Ahead of Germany's federal elections, fake news and AI-generated propaganda is multiplying online.

As German federal elections draw closer, TikTok videos allegedly showing hundreds of thousands of people marching for the far-right Alternati…

Disinformation wave on rise in Germany ahead of elections
ukrinform.net · 2025

Two weeks before the federal election in Germany, the spread of fake news and misinformation, often masterminded by Russia, has intensified, including through the so-called "alternative" media.

That's according to a government report seen b…

Germany to vote on Feb 23, report says Putin is trying to influence voters
firstpost.com · 2025

Days ahead of federal elections in Germany, a report suggested that Russian bots have driven a dramatic surge of disinformation on various social media platforms, especially X, formerly known as Twitter. According to a report of the German …

How are web platforms protecting the German electorate from fake news?
euronews.com · 2025

Just two weeks until the federal election in Germany, platforms said they have measures in place to counter disinformation.

Last week, with barely a fortnight to go until the German federal election on 23 February, manipulated TikTok videos…

Between Russia and Elon Musk, German Voters Face a ‘Dual Front’ of Disinformation
nytimes.com · 2025

Last week, Stephan Protschka, a member of Parliament for the far-right party Alternative for Germany, took to Facebook and Telegram to share a sensationalist article. The country's Green Party, it claimed, was conspiring with the Ukrainian …

The Kremlin wants to influence German elections through disinformation
truthmeter.mk · 2025

On the 16th of December 2024, the German Bundestag voted a motion of no confidence against German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Earlier, he had submitted a request for a vote of confidence in the government to Parliament.

Scholz received the supp…

Fake News: Germany Under Attack. This Is Where The Wave Of Disinformation Is Coming From
corriere.it · 2025
AI Translated

A wave of fake news has targeted German politics and they almost always have the same goal: to create uncertainty, even chaos, in an attempt to strengthen the extreme wings. There is a week to go until the elections and the vote in Germany …

Russia-linked fake videos spread German election fraud claims, authorities warn
politico.eu · 2025

BERLIN --- The German Interior Ministry has identified a Russia-linked disinformation campaign spreading fake claims of election fraud in Germany just days before Sunday's vote.

Fabricated videos circulating on social media falsely suggest …

Variants

A "variant" is an incident that shares the same causative factors, produces similar harms, and involves the same intelligent systems as a known AI incident. Rather than index variants as entirely separate incidents, we list variations of incidents under the first similar incident submitted to the database. Unlike other submission types to the incident database, variants are not required to have reporting in evidence external to the Incident Database. Learn more from the research paper.

Similar Incidents

Selected by our editors

American Asylum Seeker John Mark Dougan in Russia Reportedly Spreads Disinformation via AI Tools and Fake News Network

May 2024 · 36 reports
By textual similarity

Did our AI mess up? Flag the unrelated incidents

Deepfake Video of Ukrainian President Yielding to Russia Posted on Ukrainian Websites and Social Media

Deepfake Video of Ukrainian President Yielding to Russia Posted on Ukrainian Websites and Social Media

Mar 2022 · 9 reports
Bug in Facebook’s Anti-Spam Filter Allegedly Blocked Legitimate Posts about COVID-19

Bug in Facebook’s Anti-Spam Filter Allegedly Blocked Legitimate Posts about COVID-19

Mar 2020 · 1 report
YouTube's AI Mistakenly Banned Chess Channel over Chess Language Misinterpretation

YouTube's AI Mistakenly Banned Chess Channel over Chess Language Misinterpretation

Jun 2020 · 6 reports
Previous IncidentNext Incident

Similar Incidents

Selected by our editors

American Asylum Seeker John Mark Dougan in Russia Reportedly Spreads Disinformation via AI Tools and Fake News Network

May 2024 · 36 reports
By textual similarity

Did our AI mess up? Flag the unrelated incidents

Deepfake Video of Ukrainian President Yielding to Russia Posted on Ukrainian Websites and Social Media

Deepfake Video of Ukrainian President Yielding to Russia Posted on Ukrainian Websites and Social Media

Mar 2022 · 9 reports
Bug in Facebook’s Anti-Spam Filter Allegedly Blocked Legitimate Posts about COVID-19

Bug in Facebook’s Anti-Spam Filter Allegedly Blocked Legitimate Posts about COVID-19

Mar 2020 · 1 report
YouTube's AI Mistakenly Banned Chess Channel over Chess Language Misinterpretation

YouTube's AI Mistakenly Banned Chess Channel over Chess Language Misinterpretation

Jun 2020 · 6 reports

Research

  • Defining an “AI Incident”
  • Defining an “AI Incident Response”
  • Database Roadmap
  • Related Work
  • Download Complete Database

Project and Community

  • About
  • Contact and Follow
  • Apps and Summaries
  • Editor’s Guide

Incidents

  • All Incidents in List Form
  • Flagged Incidents
  • Submission Queue
  • Classifications View
  • Taxonomies

2024 - AI Incident Database

  • Terms of use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Open twitterOpen githubOpen rssOpen facebookOpen linkedin
  • ecd56df