Russian disinformation in Germany 'much more confrontational and aggressive'
Disinformation campaigns from Russia have become significantly more aggressive since the invasion of Ukraine, according to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV).
Moscow's approach in the information space has changed markedly over the past year and a half, according to Bodo Becker, an expert in counter-espionage at the BfV.
"Overall, the approach has become much more confrontational and aggressive," he said.
Russia has adapted the content and tone of its disinformation campaigns to its wartime actions and to German as well as global debates, explained Becker at a scientific conference organised by BfV in Berlin on the topic of opinion formation in the digital environment by state and non-state actors.
Within Russia, Becker said, disinformation serves to legitimise and maintain the power of President Vladimir Putin. With its external disinformation, the Russian state apparatus tries to influence public opinion elsewhere.
"In Germany, the aim is to undermine public trust in politics, administration, as well as in the free media. Similarly, our alliances and value-based communities with the EU and Nato are to be discredited and weakened," Becker explained. To achieve this, Russia continually seizes upon controversial current topics and instrumentalises them in its favour.
"Russian state authorities use many opportunities to spread disinformation directly and indirectly," Becked said.
This includes the official statements of Putin and his 'echo chambers' in government and parliament, state media, information portals operated by intelligence agencies, and social media.
"The many small propaganda pinpricks through these diverse channels are usually rather insignificant in themselves and mostly also without security relevance," the counter-espionage expert noted.
But taken as a whole this disinformation has an impact, he said, and state actors can succeed to varying degrees in "shaping a climate of scepticism, rejection, or mistrust."
READ ALSO: Germany sees 'no decline in Russian disinformation' over the past year
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Moscow's approach in the information space has changed markedly over the past year and a half, according to Bodo Becker, an expert in counter-espionage at the BfV.
"Overall, the approach has become much more confrontational and aggressive," he said.
Russia has adapted the content and tone of its disinformation campaigns to its wartime actions and to German as well as global debates, explained Becker at a scientific conference organised by BfV in Berlin on the topic of opinion formation in the digital environment by state and non-state actors.
Within Russia, Becker said, disinformation serves to legitimise and maintain the power of President Vladimir Putin. With its external disinformation, the Russian state apparatus tries to influence public opinion elsewhere.
"In Germany, the aim is to undermine public trust in politics, administration, as well as in the free media. Similarly, our alliances and value-based communities with the EU and Nato are to be discredited and weakened," Becker explained. To achieve this, Russia continually seizes upon controversial current topics and instrumentalises them in its favour.
"Russian state authorities use many opportunities to spread disinformation directly and indirectly," Becked said.
This includes the official statements of Putin and his 'echo chambers' in government and parliament, state media, information portals operated by intelligence agencies, and social media.
"The many small propaganda pinpricks through these diverse channels are usually rather insignificant in themselves and mostly also without security relevance," the counter-espionage expert noted.
But taken as a whole this disinformation has an impact, he said, and state actors can succeed to varying degrees in "shaping a climate of scepticism, rejection, or mistrust."
READ ALSO: Germany sees 'no decline in Russian disinformation' over the past year
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