Russia’s Manipulation of Germany’s Refugee Problems

Author (Person)
Publisher
Series Title
Series Details 28.01.16
Publication Date 28/01/2016
Content Type

Russia’s propaganda machine—which went full blast against members of the Ukrainian government during the Ukraine crisis, labeling them fascists and anti-Semites—is in full swing again. This time, the target is Germany, once considered Russia’s closest ally in Europe.

Ever since Chancellor Angela Merkel declared her intention to allow refugees from Syria to enter Germany, the Russian media have been reporting every twist and turn of the opposition that is building up in her conservative bloc and among sections of the German public to her open-door refugee policy.

Russia [uses] propaganda to weaken the EU’s common positions and therefore the union itself. There have been numerous reports of how Russia has been financing far-right movements or parties that are Eurosceptic and that challenge Europe’s basic values of human rights, dignity, and media freedom.

Germany warned Russia on the 27 January 2016 against 'exploiting' an incident involving the alleged rape of a German-Russian teenager in Berlin after Moscow hinted at an official cover-up. On the 29 January 2016 it emerged that the girl had spent the night of her alleged rape at a friend’s house. Investigators said the 13-year-old invented the story to cover having run away over problems she faced at school.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/?fa=62611
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Will Cologne change Germany's refugee policy? http://www.europeansources.info/record/will-cologne-change-germanys-refugee-policy/
ESO: Information Guide: European Migration Challenges http://www.europeansources.info/record/information-guide-european-migration-challenges/
ESO: Background information: Russia: manipulation of information and the EU’s response http://www.europeansources.info/record/russia-manipulation-of-information-and-the-eus-response/
The Local.de, 29.01.16: Girl at centre of rape row spent night by friend: police http://www.thelocal.de/20160129/girl-at-centre-of-rape-row-spent-night-by-friend-police-say
Deutsche Welle, 29.01.16: Prosecutors conclude Russian-German teen's rape allegations were false http://dw.com/p/1Hlx1
Deutsche Welle, 25.01.16: [Opinion]: German Russians and Russian TV http://dw.com/p/1Hjny
ECFR: Commentary, 04.02.16: Russia’s hybrid interference in Germany’s refugee policy http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_russias_hybrid_interference_in_germanys_refugee_policy5084
Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, 08.02.16: Putin Uses the Refugee Crisis to Weaken Merkel http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/?fa=62692
Spiegel Online International, 05.02.16: The Hybrid War: Russia's Propaganda Campaign Against Germany http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/putin-wages-hybrid-war-on-germany-and-west-a-1075483.html
EUObserver, 09.02.16: [Analysis]: Is Putin trying to topple Merkel? https://euobserver.com/foreign/132186
Deutsche Welle, 19.02.16: German media worries about Russian-led disinformation campaign http://dw.com/p/1Hyst
Deutsche Welle, 24.01.17: Reports: Fake news targets Germany's Merkel ahead of elections http://dw.com/p/2WHuT

Subject Categories
Countries / Regions ,