German intelligence chiefs, Hans-Georg Maaßen and Guido Muller have warned that Russia is trying to destabilise Germany by stoking tensions over migrants through its 'easily influenced' Russian-German population. They suggest there is a particular danger that Moscow would exploit the "high mobilisation potential" of Germany's two-million-strong Russian community. This comes after NATO's Janis Sarts said earlier this week that Russia had a track record of funding extremist forces in Europe and warned that Russia is creating a controllable network to undercut Germany's political processes. The report also warns about Russia's use of social media as part of an effort to influence public opinion on migration issues.
German intelligence chiefs, Hans-Georg Maaßen and Guido Muller have warned that Russia is trying to destabilise Germany by stoking tensions over migrants through its 'easily influenced' Russian-German population. They suggest there is a particular danger that Moscow would exploit the "high mobilisation potential" of Germany's two-million-strong Russian community. This comes after NATO's Janis Sarts said earlier this week that Russia had a track record of funding extremist forces in Europe and warned that Russia is creating a controllable network to undercut Germany's political processes. As we noted last month, the Kremlin's intervention in an alleged rape case involving a German-Russian girl heightened suspicions that Russia was trying to weaken Chancellor Angela Merkel and destabilise Europe, to create a vacuum where it can project its own power.