Highlights from the Reuter’s investigation
Key points from a recent investigation: People inside Germany who promote Moscow’s interests have received funding through Kremlin-connected organizations. They have been organizing and attending protests that urge Germany to “make peace” with Russia.
The investigation found that Russian and pro-Russian activists were promoting Kremlin interests to German-speaking audiences online. Reuters found at least 27 pro-Kremlin Telegram channels with 1.5 million subscribers.
Key figures promoting Kremlin interests
Key figures pushing a pro-Moscow stance in Germany include:
Max Schlund is a former Russian air force officer who has worked in private security. Schlund traveled to Russia-occupied Ukraine in 2022. A court suspended a sentence he received in 2010, and he moved to Germany in 2012.
Andrei Kharkovsky has pledged allegiance to a Cossack society supporting Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine.
Some individuals have undisclosed ties to Russia and Russian entities under international sanctions or far-right organizations.
German authorities have linked one of them to far-right ideology, according to Reuters.
Far-right groups in Germany have a history of relationships with the Kremlin. See 2018 article.
Reuters found photos of three security stewards at the Cologne protest on social media. They’ve attended multiple Cossack gatherings in Germany.
Max Schlund and Elena Kolbasnikova organized pro-Russian demonstrations in Cologne, Germany.
Kolbasnikova is known for claiming she lost her nursing job due to “Russophobia.”
The couple traveled to Russian-occupied Ukraine in 2022 and were filmed distributing aid to Russian and Russian-aligned forces.
Russky (Russkiy) Dom and the People’s Front
The two have received support from Russian organizations such as the People’s Front and Russky Dom (also spelled Russkiy).
Russky Dom purchased the couple’s tickets to Moscow for a forum co-organized by the Russian government, but the pair say they missed their flight and ultimately did not attend.
Russky Dom has a long international history. It was on US campuses in the 1960s, enforcing Russian-language-only speaking inside its premises. See uw.edu PDF.
Russia opened a “Russkiy Dom”in Russian-occupied Ukraine, ahead of its renewed invasion (2022).
In Sept 2022, a city in Kazakhstan rejected an event that Russky Dom wanted to hold, calling it “propaganda.”
According to the People’s Front website, it is a coalition of Russian civil society groups, and the group leader is Putin.
