Bold claim upfront: Germany accuses Russia of orchestrating a 2024 cyber assault on air traffic control and orchestrating a forced disinformation drive around elections, prompting Berlin to summon Moscow’s ambassador.
A spokesperson from Germany’s foreign ministry said the cyber-attack against German air traffic control in August 2024 was carried out by Russian military intelligence. The same official asserted that Russia aimed to influence and destabilize Germany’s federal election held in February 2025. In response, Germany, working closely with its European partners, announced that it would deploy counter-measures designed to force Moscow to pay a price for these so‑called hybrid actions.
There has not been an immediate reaction from Russia. The ministry maintains that the August 2024 assault was attributable to Fancy Bear, the notorious Russian hacker group, and that the GRU—Russia’s military intelligence service—bears responsibility for the attack. The statement also claims Moscow sought to influence and destabilize both Germany’s most recent federal election and ongoing domestic affairs through a disinformation campaign named Storm 1516.
German security agencies reportedly identified fake videos alleging ballot manipulation as part of this Russian disinformation effort in the days leading up to the election. Fancy Bear is a group with a history of high-profile operations, including alleged involvement in leaking World Anti-Doping Agency data and playing a significant role in the 2016 cyber-attack on the U.S. Democratic National Committee, according to security experts.
These accusations arrive amid heightened European concern about Russian cyber activity following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Moscow has previously denied European accusations of sabotage or hybrid campaigns, and has not formally responded to the latest claims.
