Germany has formally summoned Russia’s ambassador in Berlin after publicly attributing a series of cyber and influence operations to Moscow’s GRU military intelligence agency. The action escalates a dispute over what Berlin describes as a sustained campaign of hybrid attacks against the country, warning that there will be “consequences”.
At a government press conference on Friday, December 12, Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Giese said Germany had observed a “massive increase” in hostile hybrid activity linked to Russia, ranging from cyberattacks and espionage to disinformation and attempted sabotage. He explained that German authorities now have clear evidence connecting the GRU to two specific incidents: a 2024 cyberattack on Germany’s air traffic control systems and interference in February’s federal election through an operation known as “Storm-1516”.
