Berlin: German Foreign Ministry on Friday summoned the Russian ambassador to protest what Berlin described as a significant increase in Russian hybrid activities. These activities included cyberattacks targeting the German air traffic control system in the summer of 2024 and a disinformation campaign during the German parliamentary (Bundestag) elections several months ago.
According to Qatar News Agency, a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry stated that the August 2024 attack on air traffic control systems could clearly be linked to the Russian hacking group "Fancy Bear," adding that intelligence confirms the responsibility of the Russian military intelligence service for this attack.
The spokesperson added that Russia, through a campaign dubbed "Storm 1516," sought to influence and destabilize the recent German general elections, as well as interfere in the internal affairs of the Federal Republic. He asserted that there is information indicating that organizations supported by the Russian military intelligence service are behind this campaign.