Germany Warns Putin It Could Halt Gas Pipeline Project Over The Poisoning Of Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny

A worker passes a blue Nord Stream 2 branded protective end cap on a section of pipe at the landing site of Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, operated by Gazprom PJSC, in Lubmin, Germany, on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Germany is preparing one of its biggest sustained increases in natural gas consumption in almost two decades, regardless of U.S. admonitions that it shouldnt draw so much of its energy from Russia. © Bloomberg

Daily Mail: Germany warns Vladimir Putin it could halt gas pipeline project over poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny

* Germany is warning it could halt a gas pipeline project delivering Russian gas
* Tests show Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, 44, was poisoned with novichok
* The opposition leader is being treated in Germany after suddenly falling ill

Germany has warned Russia that it could halt a gas pipeline project over the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Mr Navalny, an opponent of Vladimir Putin, is in a coma in a Berlin hospital after falling ill on a flight in Siberia.

Tests showed he was poisoned with novichok – the nerve agent used in the Salisbury attack on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in 2018.

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Update #1: Germany threatens Russia over Navalny case (Politico)
Update #2: Germany suggests halt to Russia pipeline project, seeks cooperation with Navalny poisoning investigation (FOX News)

WNU Editor: The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is regarded by Germany to be vital for its energy needs. They are not going to cancel this project.

Russian Navy Warships Are Escorting Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Vessels Building The Undersea Pipeline Between Russia And Germany

Satellite image showing the Nord Stream 2 support vessels being escorted by Russian Navy Warships. Credit Frank Bottema, imagery from Sentinel Hub

Naval News: Russian Navy Warships Are Escorting Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Vessels In Bay Of Biscay

Russia’s controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is enjoying a naval escort. The undersea pipeline will be built in the Baltic between Russia and Germany. Two offshore supply vessels involved in the project are currently being escorted. They are accompanied by a Project 1155 Udaloy-I Class destroyer and a Project 22160 patrol ship. At the time of writing the ships are currently 40 nautical miles southwest of Brest, France.

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) analyst Frank Bottema (Twitter) spotted the vessels in a Sentinel satellite image from Yesterday. They are just visible through a gap in the cloud. The vessels’s progress can also be tracked on other forms of OSINT.

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WNU Editor: The naval escort is an eye-opener. I guess the Russians have concerns that the US may seize their ships.

Germany Calls In Russian Ambassador Over 2015 Parliament Hack

The Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany. © Reuters / Fabrizio Bensch

DW: Germany summons Russian ambassador over parliament hacking attack

Berlin has threatened Moscow with EU sanctions for allegedly hacking the Bundestag. The diplomatic row between the two countries has intensified since the 2019 killing of a Georgian man in the streets of Berlin.

Germany summoned Russia's ambassador to the Foreign Ministry on Thursday over a hacking attack on German parliament in 2015.

The ministry summoned ambassador Sergei Nechayev to inform him of Russian citizen Dmitry Badin, who, in 2015, allegedly played a role in a hacking attack on the Bundestag at a time when he was working for Russia's GRU military intelligence agency.

The ministry added that it was seeking European Union (EU) sanctions against the hacking suspect.

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WNU Editor: The Germans are pissed.

More News On Germany Calling In The Russian Ambassador Over 2015 Parliament Hack

Germany confronts Russian ambassador over cyberattack -- AP
Germany calls in Russian envoy over hack attack -- Reuters
Germany Wants E.U. to Sanction Head of Russian Military Intelligence -- New York Times
Germany calls in Russian ambassador over allegations involving a 2015 cyberattack on the federal parliament in Berlin -- Washington Post
Germany calls in Russian envoy, seeks sanctions over hacking -- Euractiv/AFP
Germany’s Foreign Ministry calls in Russian ambassador over 2015 cyberattack allegations -- RT
German Foreign Office invites Russian envoy over 2015 Bundestag cyberattack -- TASS
Russian Ambassador Summoned to German Foreign Ministry Over Hacking Attack on Bundestag -- Sputnik

German Chancellor Merkel Accuses Russia Of Hacking The German Parliament And Stealing Her Emails

Merkel speaks to German lawmakers © REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

Euronews/AP: Merkel says Germany has ‘hard evidence’ of Russian hacking

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said there is "hard evidence" that she was targeted by Russian hackers in what she called "outrageous" spying attempts.

The comments follow reports in German news outlet Der Spiegel that Russian military intelligence had obtained emails from her parliamentary office in 2015.

Germany's intelligence service has repeatedly accused Russian hackers of spying on lawmakers or leading politicians. The Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament, also discovered its systems had been broken into in May 2015.

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More News On German Chancellor Merkel Accusing Russia Of Hacking The German Parliament And Stealing Her Emails

Angela Merkel says she is 'pained' by Russian hacking -- BBC
Merkel Is ‘Outraged’ by Russian Hack but Struggling to Respond -- NYT

Angela Merkel says she has 'hard evidence' that Russia hacked the German parliament and stole her emails -- Business Insider
Germany Has 'Hard Evidence' Of Russian Cyberattack On Parliament -- RFE
Merkel cites 'hard evidence' she was targeted by Russian hackers -- The Hill
Germany's Merkel accuses Russia of hacking her email account -- FOX News
Merkel cites ‘hard evidence’ she was victim of ‘Russian hackers’, says it doesn’t help mend ties with Moscow -- RT

German Chancellor Merkel Meets Russian President Putin In Moscow

Euronews/AFP: Angela Merkel meets Vladimir Putin in Moscow amid Iran crisis

German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Her visit — the first to Russia since May 2018 — comes as Iran admitted accidentally shooting down a Ukrainian passenger plane shortly after its takeoff from Tehran, killing 176 passengers and crew.

Iran and Libya are expected to be the main points of discussion between the leaders, as Putin has strong influence in both countries.

The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned of an escalation of violence in Libya earlier this week after a meeting of EU foreign ministers, especially in light of a recent airstrike on a military school.

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More News On Today's Meeting Between German Chancellor Merkel And Russian President Putin In Moscow

German and Russian leaders discuss Mideast tensions -- AP
Putin, Merkel Align Goals on Libya and Russian Gas for Germany -- Bloomberg
Merkel says Germany supports Nord Stream 2 implementation -- TASS
German Chancellor urges all parties to back Iran nuclear deal -- Reuters
Merkel and Putin agree Iran nuclear deal should be preserved by all means -- RT
Merkel: Germany to host Libya peace conference -- Al Jazeera
German chancellor Merkel says Berlin will host Libya peace talks -- Reuters
Merkel, Putin call for Libya deescalation at Kremlin talks -- AFP
Russia's Putin: time to hold Libya peace talks in Berlin -- Reuters
Russia's Putin: Russians fighting in Libya do not represent the state -- Reuters
Merkel Says Nord Stream 2 Beneficial for Many European States, Not Only Germany -- Sputnik
Angela Merkel and Vladmir Putin push ahead with pipeline -- DW

Russia And German Leaders To Meet Later This Week To Discuss The Crisis In The Middle East

Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel shake hands during a meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka, western Japan, Saturday, June 29, 2019. Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via REUTERS

DW: Putin invites Merkel to Russia over Iran crisis

The German Chancellor will travel to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin this coming Saturday. The pair plan to discuss the Iran escalation as well as the conflicts in Ukraine, Libya and Syria.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday invited German Chancellor Angel Merkel to Russia next weekend to discuss the rising tensions in the Middle East following the death of Iranian general Qassem Soleiamani.

The Kremlin confirmed the meeting is set to take place on January 11 but did not state where it would take place. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas will also attend.

As a permanent member of the UN security council, Russia is "indispensable" when it comes to solving political conflicts, said German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert.

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WNU Editor: These meetings are always planned months in advance. The fact that this meeting is happening this quickly tells me that both leaders are deeply worried on what is happening in the Middle East, and the usual protocols are being swept aside because of the urgency of the matter.

More News On The Upcoming Putin - Merkel Meeting To discuss The Middle East

Merkel to meet Putin in Moscow for talks on Mideast crises -- AP
Putin invites Merkel to Russia to discuss Middle East crisis -- Reuters
Angela Merkel to visit Russia -- TASS
Germany’s Merkel to meet Putin in Moscow on Saturday -- Washington Post

Germany's Spies Unload On German Chancellor Merkel’s Relations With Russian President Putin

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) speak together as they attend the opening ceremony of the Paris Peace Forum at the Villette Conference Hall in Paris on Nov. 11, 2018. AFP

The XX Committee: Top German Spies Unload on Merkel’s Kowtowing to Putin

One of the West’s open secrets is that Germany, Europe’s economic powerhouse, consistently behaves in an obsequious manner towards Vladimir Putin and his authoritarian Russia. Time and again, Berlin has refused to confront the Kremlin over its egregious misconduct – from espionage to subversion to terrorism – while throwing NATO allies under the bus to keep Moscow happy.

Angela Merkel, who has been chancellor for 14 years, is no different from Germany’s political class, which seeks to stay in Putin’s good graces at seemingly any cost. Berlin’s preachy pontifications about democracy, decency, and human rights are customarily aimed at NATO allies, seldom at Moscow.

For years, German intelligence higher-ups have chafed at this situation, viewing the Kremlin as a threat to NATO, the European Union, and German security, while Merkel and her ilk pretend otherwise. The spies finally had enough this August when Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a Georgian of Chechen background living in Germany as a political exile, was assassinated in a Berlin park in broad daylight. His killer was a Russian thug with easily detectable ties to the Kremlin.

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WNU Editor: Can anyone say "Russian collusion" in German?

Germany Expels Two Russian Diplomats Over Killing Of Chechen Separatist In Berlin

DW: Germany expels Russian diplomats after murder in Berlin

German prosecutors said evidence suggests Russia or Chechnya may have ordered the murder of a Georgian man in Berlin. Two Russian diplomats have been expelled, with the German government discussing further steps.

German federal prosecutors announced on Wednesday that they are taking over investigations into the murder of a Georgian asylum-seeker in Berlin, confirming earlier reports.

With Berlin's attorney general saying evidence points to Russian state involvement, pressure is likely to mount on German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government to send a strong signal to Moscow.

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WNU Editor: The Kremlin has responded .... Kremlin denies Russian government involvement in Berlin murder (Reuters). More here .... ‘No evidence of govt involvement’ in Berlin incident, Russian Embassy says after diplomats expelled (RT), and here .... Moscow Vows Retaliation After Berlin Expells 2 Embassy Employees Over Murder of Georgian National (Sputnik).

More News On Germany Expelling Two Russian Diplomats Over Killing Of Chechen Separatist In Berlin

Berlin murder: Germany expels two Russian diplomats -- BBC
Germany expels two Russians over killing of Chechen separatist in Berlin -- The Guardian
Germany expels Russian diplomats in probe of Berlin killing -- AP
Germany expels Russian embassy staff over Georgian's murder -- Al Jazeera
Germany expels 2 Russian diplomats after linking Moscow to murder -- NBC
Russia suspected in 'execution-style' slaying in Berlin park, 2 diplomats expelled by Germany -- FOX News
Investigation Names Alleged Killer of Chechen Rebel In Berlin -- Moscow Times
This is What We Know About the Georgian Murdered in Berlin and His Alleged Assassin -- Sputnik

German Chancellor Merkel 'Caves' To President Trump's Demand To Open Up Germany To US Gas Imports

© REUTERS / Jonathan Ernst

The Hill: Merkel moves to open up Germany to US gas imports after Trump's push: report

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is making a move to open up Germany's market to U.S. gas companies, following a lobbying push from President Trump, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Merkel told a group of lawmakers over breakfast in October that her government will co-finance a $576 million liquified natural gas (LNG) shipping terminal in northern Germany, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the meeting.

The project had been stalled for years, but Trump has lobbied hard for Europe to increase LNG purchases from the U.S. while reducing their reliance on Russia.

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Update: In Win for Trump, Merkel Changes Course on U.S. Gas Imports (The Wall Street Journal)

WNU Editor: German Chancellor Angela Merkel is saying the decision to do this were "strategic", and it had nothing to do with U.S. pressure. Russian media has a different take .... Merkel Opens Up Germany to US LNG, Yielding to Trump's Pressure – Reports (Sputnik). More here .... Merkel wants more US natural gas in Germany – WSJ (RT). As to what is my take .... Russian media is correct. There are national security reasons, but President Trump also wants Germany to lower its trade surplus with the U.S., and for the Germans this is one way to alleviate that pressure.

A Closer Look At The German - Russian Energy Deal That President Trump Is Concerned About

The Guardian: Germany and Russia gas links: Trump is not only one to ask questions

Politicians and energy experts say Nord Stream 2 will make Europe reliant on Russian gas.

Donald Trump may have used typically emotive – if premeditated – language from the outset at the Nato summit in Brussels to lambast Germany for its willingness to build a gas pipeline, but the US president’s view that this will make Europe particularly dependent on Russian gas is widely shared by European politicians, thinktanks and energy specialists, including some in Berlin.

No country is more angry about the pipeline than Ukraine, an ally Trump is supposedly poised to abandon when he meets the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in Helsinki on Monday.

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WNU Editor: President Trump publicly called out German Chancellor Merkel and other countries for their energy deals with Russia .... and it is making everyone uncomfortable. Reading the reaction from the European press today on this story has been quite a treat.

Update: DUH!!!! .... A Russian Pipeline Threat to European Security: Moscow’s ambitions are never ‘purely commercial.’ (Sohrab Ahmari, Commentary)

More News On The German - Russian Energy Deal

Analysis: The Russian pipeline to Germany that Trump is so mad about, explained -- Washington Post
The Pipeline Trump Says Risks Making Germany “a Captive of Russia” -- Bloomberg
Germany isn't the only country that still needs cheap Russian gas -- Ivana Kottasová, CNN
Germany may not be 'controlled' by Russia — but Trump did have a point highlighting a growing connection between the 2 countries -- Business Insider

U.S. Raises Concerns On The Planned Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline From Russia To Germany

Reuters: Russia-Germany gas pipeline raises intelligence concerns: U.S. official

BERLIN (Reuters) - The planned Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany raises U.S. intelligence and military concerns since it would allow Moscow to place new listening and monitoring technology in the Baltic Sea, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday.

Sandra Oudkirk, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Diplomacy, said in Berlin she would meet German officials to voice Washington’s concerns about the subsea project.

A consortium of western companies and Russia’s Gazprom said this week it was starting preparatory work off Germany’s Baltic coast.

Oudkirk told reporters the U.S. Congress had given the president new authority to impose sanctions against a variety of Russian pipeline projects.

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WNU Editor: This pipeline is going to be built .... U.S. objections or not. There is just too much money involved for both Germany and Russia, and in the end it is all about money .... Russian Gas 'Will Remain Cheaper in the Long Run' Than US' LNG - German Media (Sputnik)

More News On U.S. Objections To The Planned Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline From Russia To Germany

US warns of sanctions risk to Germany-Russia gas pipeline -- AP
U.S. Is Trying to Kill Major Gas Deal Between Russia and Germany -- Newsweek
US threatens to punish Russia & Germany if they continue playing with gas -- RT
U.S. Warns Russian-German Gas Pipeline Risks Triggering Sanctions -- RFE
Germany and the US disagree over Russia's new Nordstream 2 pipeline -- Euronews
Germany Brushes Aside U.S. Objection to Russia Gas Pipeline Link -- Bloomberg
German Envoy Sees U.S. Sanctions Likely Over Russia Gas Pipeline -- Bloomberg
Germany expresses support for Nord Stream-2 project — Lavrov -- TASS
Trump Forbids Russian Pipeline. Europe Pushes Back -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

Russian President Putin And German Chancellor Merkel Meet To Discuss Iran, Ukraine, And Gas Shipments

RFE: Putin, Merkel Hold Talks In Sochi On Iran, Ukraine, Nord Stream 2

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held wide-ranging talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the Ukraine conflict, Europe's response to the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, and the construction of a pipeline bringing gas from Russia to Germany.

Putin said Russian natural gas may still flow to neighboring Ukraine even after the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, which will carry Russian gas to Germany, bypassing Ukraine.

"A suspension of the transit of Russia gas through Ukraine is not assumed," Putin said after talks with Merkel in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on May 18. "Supplies will continue if they are economically viable."

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WNU Editor: Natural gas, Iran, and President Trump is what they talked about. Ukraine not so much.

More News On Russian President Putin And German Chancellor Merkel Meeting To Discuss Iran, Ukraine, And Gas Shipments

Putin seeks common cause with Merkel over Trump -- Reuters
Merkel and Putin offer signs of thawing tensions at Russian talks on Syria, Iran and Ukraine -- The Independent
Germany's Angela Merkel meets Russia's Vladimir Putin -- DW
Presenting flowers, Putin greets Merkel in Sochi -- TASS
Putin, Merkel discuss defense against Trump’s sanctions drive -- RT

Russia Denies Hacking The German Bundestag. Saying The Last Time They Broke Into The Bundestag Was In 1945, And It Was Called The Reichstag

Well pic.twitter.com/WWRTDMmsDa

— English Russia (@EnglishRussia1) April 6, 2018

Haaretz: Denying Hacking Germany, Russia Says It Only Broke Into Bundestag in 1945

Kremlin says it's not behind the hack on the German Bundestag, saying last time they were there 'it was called the Reichstag'

Russia reiterated its rejection of allegations that it hacked into German government computers, with a jibe from the Foreign Ministry on Thursday about World War II.

"We broke into the Bundestag only once, in 1945, while liberating Berlin from the Nazi scourge. At that time, it was called the Reichstag," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.

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WNU Editor: You have to be Russian to understand the joke.

Germany Wants To Cut-Off Its Reliance On Russian Gas

Houston Chronicle/Bloomberg: Germany looks to LNG to cut reliance on Russian gas

Angela Merkel's government is seeking to build a liquefied natural gas industry in Germany basically from scratch to reduce the nation's dependence on supplies arriving by pipeline from Russia and Norway.

With gas reservoirs depleting from the U.K. to the Netherlands, Germany is becoming increasingly reliant on Russia for its energy needs at a time when political tensions are mounting with Vladimir Putin's government in Moscow.

That's prompting Merkel to think again about LNG as an option, building terminals on the North Sea and Baltic Sea that could import the fuel and bypass facilities in the neighboring Netherlands, Poland and Belgium. Her newly formed coalition has a " coalition contract" that among other policies sets out an energy agenda including LNG for the next four years.

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WNU Editor: It's too late. Any shift is going to take years .... and it is not going to be cheap. I thought renewable energy was going to solve Germany's energy needs .... I guess it is not enough.

Germany Admits That Their Foreign And Defense Ministries Have Been Hit By Russian Hackers

REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

DW: Germany admits Russian hackers infiltrated foreign and defense ministries

German security services have admitted they uncovered a Russian cyberattack on the foreign and defense ministries in December. Sources say the malware had been planted up to a year earlier.

The German government admitted on Wednesday that the foreign and defense ministries had been infiltrated by Russian hacking group APT28.

Citing anonymous sources, the German news agency dpa reported the group likely placed a piece of malware in a key government network. The malware could have remained in the government's networks for as long as a year, security officials said.

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More News On Germany Admiting That Their Foreign And Defense Ministries Have Been Hit By Russian Hackers

Russian hacking group Fancy Bear may have spyed on Germany's government -- Business Insider
German Government Computers Hacked; Reports Point To Russian Group -- Radio Free Europe
Germany says its government computers secure after 'isolated' hack -- Reuters
Fancy Bears Allegedly Attack Servers of German Government - Reports -- Sputnik International

Russian President Putin And German Chancellor Merkel Meet In Sochi To Discuss Syria, Ukraine, And Sanctions

Sputnik: Russian President Putin, German Chancellor Merkel Hold Joint Presser in Sochi

Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel hold a joint press conference between two rounds of meetings in Sochi on Tuesday, May 2.

Russian President Putin started the presser by announcing that he had discussed with German Chancellor Merkel the preparation for G20 summit as well as Syria and Ukraine.

"We discussed international problems, including the Syrian crisis and the situation in Ukraine," Putin said, adding that the meeting also touched upon preparations for the G20 summit.

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More News On Russian President Putin And German Chancellor Merkel Meeting In Sochi

Merkel-Putin meeting round-up -- TASS
Russia never interferes in others’ internal politics, yet feels such attempts from outside – Putin -- RT
Russia Germany: Merkel meets Putin to discuss crises in Syria and Ukraine -- BBC
Merkel tells Putin: implement Minsk to get EU sanctions lifted -- Reuters
In Tense Encounter, Merkel Tells Putin Sanctions Have to Remain -- Bloomberg
Merkel tells Putin Russia is important partner in G20 -- RBTH
Angela Merkel raises concerns with Vladimir Putin over persecution of gay people in Chechnya -- The Independent
Merkel to meet Putin amid tensions over Syrian war, Ukraine crisis -- CNN
Merkel travels to Russia to meet with Putin -- The Hill
Merkel makes rare Russia visit as Putin backs warmer ties -- South China Morning Post

German Spy Chief Warns That Russia Could Disrupt Next Year's Elections

The President of the German Federal Intelligence Agency (BND) Bruno Kahl gives a speech at the 60th anniversary of the founding of the BND in Berlin, Germany, November 28, 2016. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

BBC: German spy chief Kahl warns Russia 'could disrupt elections'

Germany's foreign intelligence chief has warned that Russia could seek to disrupt next year's German elections with cyber attacks.

Bruno Kahl said his agency was aware of cyber attacks with no other purpose than "causing political uncertainty".

"Europe is in the focus of this attempted disruption, and Germany in particular," he told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily.

Russia or Russia-linked groups have been regularly accused of such attacks.

Although campaigning for federal elections next autumn has not yet begun, Angela Merkel announced last week that she would be seeking a fourth term as chancellor.

Earlier this year, Germany's domestic intelligence agency accused Russia of being behind a series of cyber attacks on German state computer systems, including targeting the lower house of parliament last year.

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More News On German Spy Chief Warning That Russia Could Disrupt Next Year's Elections

Spy chief adds to warnings of Russian cyber attacks on Germany -- Reuters
In wake of cyberattack, German spy chief points at Russia, warns of attempts to disrupt election -- Washington Post
Russian hackers targeting Germany: intelligence chief -- Politico.eu
Top German spy warns of political cyberattacks, Russia links -- Phys.org

German Intelligence Is Worried That Russia May Interfere In Next Year's Elections

Hans-Georg Maassen, Germany's head of the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt fuer Verfassungsschutz) addresses a news conference in Berlin, Germany, June 28, 2016. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

Reuters: Germany alarmed about potential Russian interference in election: spy chief

Germany is alarmed that Russia may seek to interfere in its national elections next year, the domestic intelligence chief said, echoing concerns raised in the United States before Donald Trump's presidential election victory.

German officials have accused Moscow of trying to manipulate German media to fan popular angst over issues like the migrant crisis, weaken voter trust in moderate mainstream government under Chancellor Angela Merkel and breed divisions within the European Union so that it drops sanctions against Moscow.

Intelligence officials have also pointed to Russian support for eurosceptic, anti-immigrant parties in Germany and across the EU. Last week, Merkel said she could not rule out Russia interfering in Germany's 2017 election through Internet attacks and misinformation campaigns.

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Update #1: Germany 'Alarmed' About Potential Russian Interference In Elections (RFE)
Update #2: German intelligence services 'alarmed' about potential Russian interference in elections (DW)

WNU Editor: So .... if you oppose German government policies it means that you are being influenced by Russia? This is a slippery slope that the German domestic intelligence chief is looking at.

Germany To Deploy Tanks To The Russian Border

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

German Leopard 2 Tank

DW: Germany to send tanks to Russian border

Germany has confirmed it is sending Leopard 2 tanks to Lithuania as part of NATO plans to reinforce the Baltic states. But the presence is largely symbolic, since Russia is still militarily superior in the region.

Protecting Lithuania from Russia is to be Germany's responsibility, according to the new NATO defense plans that emerged at this week's summit in Brussels. The German Defense Ministry showed on Wednesday evening just how seriously it is taking this task, confirming to the DPA news agency that next year it will be sending Leopard 2 tanks to the Baltic country's Russian border in addition to the 650 soldiers it had already promised - though it would not clarify how many.

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Update: NATO battalion at Russian border to get German tanks — defense ministry (TASS)

WNU Editor: I am glad that my father is not alive to be reading this. He fought for the Soviet Army in World War II, and he knew too well what the German Army did. He would be flipping enraged right now. What's my take .... I know that this is a symbolic deployment of a few hundred troops and tanks, but it sets up a precedent that will increase in time .... while bringing back bad memories for those who remember the war.

NATO's Expert On Communications: 'Russia Trying To Topple German Chancellor Merkel'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin

The Guardian: Russia ‘stoking refugee unrest in Germany to topple Angela Merkel’

Analysts at Nato centre claim to have found evidence of ‘information war’ over migration crisis with links to Vladimir Putin.

Russia is trying to topple Angela Merkel by waging an information war designed to stir up anger in Germany over refugees, Nato’s most senior expert on strategic communications has claimed.

The attempt to provoke the removal of the German leader, who has been a strong supporter of sanctions against Vladimir Putin’s regime, is said to have been identified by Nato analysts.

Jānis Sārts, director of Nato’s Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, based in Riga, Latvia, told the Observer that Russia had a track record of funding extremist forces in Europe, and that he believed there was now evidence of Russia agitating in Germany against Merkel.

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WNU Editor: This accusation/claim is bizarre. The Russian media may be publicizing the crime and social/cultural problems that are arising with the influx of a million plus refugees into Germany, but so is the New York Times and Spiegel .... Germany Has Changed. Does this mean that posting critical articles on a policy means that you are trying to overthrow the government? As I said .... bizarre.