Germany Accuses Russia of Cyberattacks on Aviation and Elections

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Germany formally accused Russia on Friday of orchestrating a coordinated campaign of cyber warfare designed to compromise the nation’s air traffic control infrastructure and destabilize its democratic institutions during the recent general election. The move, marked by the summoning of the Russian ambassador in Berlin, signals a sharp deterioration in diplomatic relations as German officials vowed to exact a "price" for what they termed "hybrid actions" against the state.

According to a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the German government has completed a forensic analysis of two separate security incidents, leading to the identification of Russian state-linked actors as the perpetrators.

A spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry addressed the press in Berlin, outlining the specific conclusions drawn by intelligence and security agencies regarding operations that targeted both the physical safety of air transport and the integrity of the political process.

The spokesman stated that authorities could now "clearly attribute" a cyberattack aimed at German Air Safety, which occurred in August 2024, to a specific hacker collective.

The Foreign Ministry identified the group responsible for the attack on air traffic control systems as APT28, an entity also known within the cybersecurity community as "Fancy Bear." This attribution links the disruption of critical aviation infrastructure directly to actors that have long been associated with high-level cyber espionage.

The incident in August targeted the systems responsible for managing the safety of the skies over Germany, representing a significant escalation in the targeting of civilian infrastructure. By publicly naming APT28, Berlin is signaling a high degree of confidence in its technical evidence regarding the origins of the intrusion.

Beyond the threat to physical infrastructure, the German government leveled a second, equally grave charge regarding political interference. The Foreign Ministry spokesman declared that Berlin can "now state definitively" that Russia actively sought to influence and destabilize the most recent federal election held in February.

This interference campaign was identified by the specific operational codename "Storm 1516." The allegations suggest a concerted effort by Moscow to undermine the democratic processes of Europe’s largest economy, moving beyond espionage into active manipulation of the political landscape.

The severity of these findings prompted immediate diplomatic action.

The Russian ambassador to Germany was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to receive a formal protest regarding these activities. As of Friday afternoon, the Russian embassy in Berlin had not issued a statement and was not immediately reachable for comment regarding the accusations or the diplomatic summons, according to AFP.

In response to these confirmed attributions, the German government has adopted a combative stance.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman emphasized that Germany would not let these transgressions pass without consequence. He stated that the government "would take a series of countermeasures to make Russia pay a price for its hybrid actions."

These retaliatory steps are set to be developed and implemented in "close coordination with our European partners," reflecting a desire to present a unified front against what is perceived as external aggression.

While the spokesman did not provide an exhaustive list of the specific countermeasures being prepared, he did outline the direction of the policy response. Berlin announced its intention to support "new individual sanctions against hybrid actors on a European level."

This indicates a push within the European Union to expand the sanctions regime to specifically target the individuals and entities responsible for orchestrating cyber campaigns and other forms of hybrid warfare, rather than solely focusing on broad economic measures.

The confrontation in Berlin occurs against a backdrop of heightened anxiety across the European continent.

As reported by AFP, governments throughout the region are currently on high alert regarding a spectrum of alleged Russian activities. These concerns range from traditional espionage and drone surveillance to active sabotage and sophisticated disinformation campaigns.

The incident involving German Air Safety aligns with broader accusations Berlin has leveled against Moscow regarding "hybrid attacks," which have reportedly included drone flights near various European airports in recent months, further straining the security architecture of the region.

Germany’s geopolitical position makes it a primary target for such activities.

Since Russia launched its full-scale war with Ukraine in February 2022, Berlin has emerged as a critical supporter of Kyiv, ranking as Ukraine's second-biggest supplier of aid. This steadfast support has placed Germany in the crosshairs of Moscow’s hybrid warfare strategy.

The identification of the "Storm 1516" campaign targeting the February election highlights the vulnerability of democratic institutions in this high-stakes environment, while the attack on air safety systems by APT28 underscores the potential for cyber operations to threaten public safety.

As the German government moves to implement its countermeasures and rallies European partners for new sanctions, the diplomatic rift between Berlin and Moscow continues to widen. The definitive attribution of these attacks marks a turning point, moving from suspicion to formal accusation, and setting the stage for a new round of political and economic friction in Europe.