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In recent weeks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has uncovered a Russian disinformation campaign on the internet platform X, formerly known as Twitter. According to reports from "Spiegel," the campaign aims to undermine support for Ukraine by spreading false information about X. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed concern, having monitored online debates on foreign policy for some time.

During an investigation from December 20 to January 20, experts identified over 50,000 fake user accounts on X. These accounts disseminated over a million German-language tweets, often accusing the federal government of neglecting its own society to support Ukraine. Some days recorded up to 200,000 such short messages.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that disinformation has become a global threat deliberately used by those who do not share our values to destabilize societies worldwide, not just in Western democracies.

The ministry is also alarmed by the level of automation in the campaign. An analysis of 4,000 identified user accounts revealed that they were seemingly controlled from Russia, algorithmically publishing German-language content consistently at the same time each day.

In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Annalena Baerbock, is intensifying efforts to monitor social media activities. The goal is to detect attempts by foreign entities to influence public opinion. Given the escalating threat of disinformation, taking effective action to protect societies from harmful propaganda is crucial.