Germany summons Russian envoy over alleged cyber-attack, election interference

Germany has summoned Russia’s ambassador to Berlin after accusing Moscow of mounting a cyber-attack on the country’s air traffic control systems and attempting to interfere in its federal elections

A move that further deepened already strained relations between the two countries.

In a statement on Friday, a spokesperson for Germany’s foreign ministry said authorities had concluded that Russian military intelligence was behind a cyber incident targeting Germany’s air traffic control infrastructure in August 2024.

The spokesperson also alleged that Moscow had engaged in a broader campaign aimed at influencing and destabilising Germany’s federal election held in February 2025.

German intelligence agencies have traced the cyber-attack to “Fancy Bear”, a notorious hacking group widely believed to be linked to Russia’s military intelligence service, the GRU.

While Germany’s air navigation service later confirmed that its internal office communication systems had been compromised, it emphasised that the breach did not disrupt flight operations or endanger passenger safety.

Beyond the alleged cyber intrusion, Berlin has accused Moscow of orchestrating a coordinated disinformation operation during the election campaign.

The campaign, referred to by German officials as “Storm 1516”, is said to have targeted senior political figures through the circulation of fabricated videos and false claims of ballot manipulation.

Particular focus was reportedly placed on Green Party candidate Robert Habeck and Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union, who has since taken office as chancellor.

Russia has firmly denied all accusations.

In a statement to AFP, the Russian embassy in Berlin dismissed Germany’s claims as “baseless, unfounded and absurd”, rejecting any suggestion that Russian state bodies were involved either in cyber-attacks or in the activities of hacker groups.

Despite Moscow’s denials, Germany’s foreign ministry said Berlin, working closely with its European partners, would respond with counter-measures designed to ensure Russia “pays a price for its hybrid actions”.

Officials indicated that discussions were ongoing at the European level over possible diplomatic, economic or cyber-related responses.

The allegations echo similar warnings issued by other European countries, including the United Kingdom and Romania, which have accused Russia of attempting to interfere in their domestic affairs.

These claims have often centred on cyber operations and efforts to undermine organisations providing support to Ukraine.

Fancy Bear has previously been linked to several major cyber incidents worldwide, including the release of confidential data from the World Anti-Doping Agency and the 2016 hack of the U.S. Democratic National Committee, which played a significant role in the American presidential election that year.

The latest dispute unfolds against the backdrop of long-standing tensions between Berlin and Moscow.

Even before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, relations were strained by a series of incidents, notably the 2019 killing of a Chechen exile in Berlin’s Tiergarten park, an act German authorities attributed to a Russian national acting on orders from the state.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has repeatedly accused Russia of conducting cyber warfare against Germany and has publicly supported proposals to use frozen Russian assets to help finance Ukraine’s defence.

While Moscow has not yet issued a detailed response to the most recent allegations, it has consistently denied accusations of sabotage, cyber-attacks or so-called hybrid warfare across Europe.