German broadcaster MDR warns of Russian disinformation campaign ahead of state election

The German broadcaster Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR) has issued a warning about a sophisticated disinformation campaign, which it believes is orchestrated by Russia. The campaign is reportedly aimed at influencing public opinion ahead of the state election in Saxony-Anhalt.

MDR reported that since July 24, a dataset has documented 338 instances of fake videos featuring the MDR logo and false allegations against politicians. In several cases, the MDR's identity was misused to lend credibility to these fabricated claims. The broadcaster attributes these posts to a disinformation network known as "Matrjoschka."

These fake videos often accuse state and local politicians of serious crimes, with many being generated using artificial intelligence. To enhance their believability, the creators employ logos and title pages from well-known German media outlets like Tagesschau and Spiegel. This tactic is part of a broader pattern of hybrid threats from Russia, designed to exploit any available occasion to divide and polarize German society.

According to Germany's domestic intelligence service, the campaign, active since late June, specifically seeks to create societal division between East and West Germany. Since August, posts under the hashtag "TimeToDivideGermany" have become more frequent. MDR's editor-in-chief, Christin Bohmann, stated that the "falsification of journalistic brands and the spread of disinformation are attacks on the credibility of free media." She affirmed MDR's commitment to reliable, fact-based, and independent reporting. The broadcaster also noted that distinguishing these fakes from genuine news can be difficult for the public and advised checking MDR's official website and social media channels for verified content.

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The falsification of journalistic brands and the spread of disinformation are attacks on the credibility of free media.