The German government promptly advised the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) in coordination with the Foreign Office to check Russian sources of manipulation of German public opinion.
Germany‘s leading role in the Ukraine crisis, Angela Merkel's consistent position on sanctions against Russia and her leadership in Europe make the German government a core target of Russian disinformation.
The “Lisa Case“ also shows not only the failure of Germany's partnership for modernization with Russia but also the dysfunctionality of Russia's attempts to use personal ties and informal networks to influence German decision-making and policy when it comes to the current crisis and, in particular, the person of Chancellor Merkel. While the German government remains strongly committed to keeping channels for dialogue open, we see a complete loss of trust in relations that will be very hard to rebuild in the forseeable future.
Read the full article on NATO Review here.
