German journalist received assignments from Russian agents after creating a fake account and praising Putin

German journalist sets up fake account, receives tasks from Russian agents after praising Putin

German journalist Angelike Geray posed as a fan of Vladimir Putin on social media as part of an investigation aimed at uncovering how Russia's undercover agents operate in Germany. A film about this was broadcast on the German TV channel "RTL" in early September.

Geray spent several months working on creating a digital fake identity. Under the pseudonym "Katya," she presented herself as a pro-Russian influencer, attempting to naturally build an audience and establish connections on social media.

"Katya" posted videos wearing a telnyashka (part of the Russian Armed Forces uniform), expressing admiration for Putin, and walking around the Bundestag with a Russian flag. Soon, Russian agents contacted her and offered her tasks to complete, with payment made in bitcoins.

During the investigation, Geray and other "RTL" journalists managed to get inside the agent recruitment process. Entry-level new agents were given simple tasks, including taking photos, receiving mail, and obtaining SIM cards. However, more serious tasks were assigned later. Entry-level agents were only aware of a fraction of these assignments.

Shortly after the operation began, "Katya's" profile caught the attention of Jovica Jovic, a member of the "Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance." The "RTL" television channel calls him "one of the most famous figures on the pro-Russian scene in Germany." He invited "Katya" to meet and spoke about his pro-Russian activities during the meeting. Jovic hinted at working with the Russian special services.

When asked whether his social media activities were coordinated by the special services in Moscow, Jovic replied as follows:

"Nobody knows that. Theoretically, I don't know. In practice, I do."

Later, when Angelike Geray interviewed him as a reporter under her real name, he denied participating in a campaign supporting Russia. "RTL" notes that when Geray publicly revealed that "Katya" was a fake identity, she received a threatening voicemail saying, "If you try to run, you'll get shot!"

Attention in Germany has recently intensified on sabotage and disinformation campaigns organized by Russia. The most famous incident in recent weeks occurred in Leipzig, when drones filled with explosives attempted to attack a Ukrainian transport aircraft. German authorities officially blamed Russia and, in response, closed the "Russian House" in Berlin and the Russian consulate in Bonn.