Cyberattack on German Air Traffic Control and Disinformation Campaign Ahead of 2024 Election

**Germany Accuses Russia of Cyberattack on Air Traffic Control and Election Interference** Germany has formally attributed a cyberattack on its air traffic control systems and a disinformation campaign targeting its 2024 federal election to Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU. In a press briefing on Friday, a German Foreign Ministry spokesman stated that intelligence services had "clearly identified" the involvement of the hacker group **APT28 (Fancy Bear)**, a collective linked to the GRU, in an August 2024 attack on **German Air Safety**. The spokesman also confirmed that Russia orchestrated the **Storm 1516 campaign**, a coordinated effort to influence the February parliamentary election—won by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservatives, with the far-right AfD securing its highest-ever result. The campaign disseminated **deepfake content and fabricated claims** about prominent politicians, including Merz, former Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, and former Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, aiming to **erode public trust in democratic institutions**. German intelligence identified **pro-Russian influencers, conspiracy theorists, and far-right extremists** as key amplifiers of the disinformation. Fact-checking efforts by **AFP’s German service** debunked false narratives, including claims that AfD ballots were excluded in Leipzig and votes for the party were destroyed in Hamburg. Russia’s embassy in Berlin dismissed the accusations as **"baseless and absurd,"** while German officials emphasized they possessed **"absolutely solid proof"** of Moscow’s involvement. The head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, **BfV**, warned that such operations represent a direct attack on the country’s democratic order. In response, Germany announced plans to **impose EU-wide sanctions on hybrid actors** and enhance **Schengen Area travel monitoring for Russian diplomats** starting in January to mitigate intelligence risks. The move aligns with broader European concerns over **Russian espionage, sabotage, and cyber threats**, particularly as Germany remains a leading supporter of Ukraine amid the ongoing war.