Russian disinformation campaign targets Saxony-Anhalt elections

The far-right AfD, classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a demonstrably extremist organization, could capture 40 percent of the vote. Such a result would mark the first time since World War II that a far-right party secures the power to govern a German federal state alone. Security services have linked this local political upheaval to a sophisticated Russian network using AI-generated content to reshape public perception.

Foreign influence efforts utilize falsified videos bearing the logos of reputable outlets like the BBC and ARD to target members of the CDU/CSU, SPD, Greens, and the Left party. Four sources familiar with the investigation confirmed to Reuters that these operations are centrally directed from Russia. By contrast, the AfD and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance—both of which advocate for closer ties to Vladimir Putin’s regime—are conspicuously absent from the lists of targets. Analyst Julia Smirnova of the Centre for Monitoring, Analysis and Strategy describes the campaign as a calculated effort to erode trust in democratic institutions while rewarding political actors aligned with Kremlin interests.