Germany Recalls Envoy to Russia Over Cyberattack

Facts

• Germany on Monday recalled its ambassador to Moscow, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, to protest Russian cyberattacks on the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and German firms.¹
• Though Lambsdorff's recall is temporary, a foreign ministry spokesperson said the government is taking the alleged cyberattack 'very seriously.'²
• Germany has claimed that hacker group APT 28, allegedly tied to Russia's military intelligence agency, launched the attack on its defense and industry sectors.³
• Berlin alleges that the campaign, which began a month after Russia invaded Ukraine, successfully accessed SDP emails since at least December 2022.⁴
• This follows a senior German foreign intelligence service official being put on trial for leaking classified information to the Kremlin in return for around $430K.⁵
• APT28 is allegedly attempting to disrupt European politics before next month's EU election, reportedly exploiting a Microsoft Outlook vulnerability.⁶

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²Dw.Com, ³The Kyiv Independent, ⁴Independent, ⁵BBC News and ⁶POLITICO.

Narratives

• Anti-Russia narrative, as provided by POLITICO. Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin's spies have discredited Germany's chancellor, orchestrated discord, and hindered Ukraine's arms acquisition. A leak exposed German officials discussing sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine, conflicting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz's position. If not confronted, Putin's strategic espionage tactics will influence Ukraine's missile support plans significantly.
• Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by TASS. Germany’s claims of a Russian role in the alleged cyber-attack are baseless and aimed at stoking anti-Russian sentiment. German officials have been threatening consequences without specifying details. Russia has consistently denied its involvement. German agencies have failed to provide any evidence to support their media's version of alleged links to Moscow. It only damages the Russian-German relationship further.
• Narrative C, as provided by New York Times. Germany must brace for prolonged confrontation with and meddling in its internal affairs by Russia, given Putin's ambitions beyond Ukraine. Chancellor Scholz's cautious approach contrasts with calls for a more assertive German role in Europe's security landscape. He must wake up to the geopolitical realities and re-evaluate Germany's defense posture.

Predictions