Germany identified two Russian cyber operations to disrupt air security and interfere in the February general elections, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday, summoning the Moscow ambassador. At a press conference, a spokesperson for the German ministry attributed a "cyberattack against German air security in August 2024" to the Russian group APT28 and also stated that "Russia, through the Storm 1516 campaign, sought to influence and destabilize the most recent federal elections."
On the front, a new night of drone exchanges between Russia and Ukraine. Russian defenses claim to have shot down over 90 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles while Kiev asserts that a Russian bombardment on energy infrastructure in the Odesa region has caused power outages, leaving thousands of citizens without electricity.
The Odesa region is particularly sensitive to these types of aggressions, as it hosts Ukraine's most important seaports, essential for grain and other strategic exports. This attack adds to the series of Russian offensives targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure during the winter months when the population relies more on electricity and heating.
Germany Accuses Russia of Cyberattacks to Disrupt Air Security and Elections
Germany identified two Russian cyber operations to disrupt air security and interfere in the February general elections, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday, summoning the Moscow ambassador, reports Afp.
At a press conference, a spokesperson for the German ministry attributed a "cyberattack against German air security in August 2024" to the Russian group APT28 and also stated that "Russia, through the Storm 1516 campaign, sought to influence and destabilize the most recent federal elections."
The spokesperson for the German Chancellery said that Berlin could "take a series of countermeasures to make Russia pay for its hybrid actions, in close coordination with [its] European partners."
Germany Supports Using Frozen Russian State Assets in Other European Countries
Germany supports the possibility of using frozen Russian state assets in various European countries as part of measures to support Ukraine and finance its reconstruction, according to European diplomatic sources.
According to these sources, Berlin not only supports the use of immobilized funds in the European Union but also favors that assets held in other European states—under different national legal frameworks—could be considered within a common mechanism.
The discussion gains relevance at a time when the EU is debating how to finance long-term aid to Ukraine, especially given the high volume of Russian assets frozen following the start of the invasion in 2022.