Associated Incidents
BERLIN, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Russian-linked online disinformation networks are spreading faked spy agency warnings of terrorist attacks in Germany ahead of this month's election in an apparent attempt to sow fear and depress voter turnout, cybersecurity experts say.
The networks were also spreading unfounded rumours aimed at discrediting Friedrich Merz, the conservative leader whom polls place ahead of the second-placed, Russia-friendly Alternative for Germany in polls, said the researchers.
The narratives target a public that is already alarmed after a series of high-profile attacks by foreigners in which large numbers were killed, including a car ramming at a Christmas market and a stabbing attack in which a toddler was killed.
On Wednesday, an Afghan asylum seeker drove a car into a crowd in Munich, injuring at least 28. No details were as yet available about any possible motive.
The experts, working with human rights organisation Robert Bosch Foundation, are veterans of efforts to combat Russian influencing operations who did not wish to be identified for security reasons.
Reuters was able to review the full database of messages and confirm the thrust of the posts, mainly originating on X, containing videos which were then shared on other social media. The posts had been interacted with some 2.5 million times so far, the researchers found.
X did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the posts on its platform. The AfD did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Their volume tripled this week, when a group named Storm 1516 joined the campaign, which had previously been dominated by the Doppelganger and Matryoshka disinformation networks.
In a text message, John Mark Dougan, a Russian-resident American who has been linked in the media to the Storm 1516 network, declined to comment on the specific allegations.
Messages to the Russian embassy in Berlin were not immediately returned. The Russian government has consistently denied running disinformation networks.
'A SCARED SOCIETY'
The bot networks' messaging seemed designed to help the AfD even if the party was not endorsed specifically, said Felix Kartte, a misinformation specialist at the Mercator Institute.
"A scared society is much more sensitive to authoritarian narratives," he said.
Reducing turnout and the conservatives' lead would likely make it harder to form a stable coalition and increase the likelihood the AfD and another party that opposes arming Ukraine could together hold enough seats to disrupt parliament.
One post contained a fake video purportedly from broadcaster France 24 relaying a French security service warning to avoid public places in Germany due to the risk of terrorist attacks.
Investigative portal Correctiv said it identified a dozen narratives pushed by the networks, including unfounded abuse allegations against Greens leader Robert Habeck and fabricated claims 1.9 million Kenyans would soon arrive in Germany.
By spreading the message that there could be attacks, including on polling stations, "the goal (seems to be) to drive more Germans to vote by mail, giving pro-Russian parties ammunition to claim fraud," one of the researchers said.