'The Hybrid War: Russia's .. Campaign Against Germany .. an "information war." In fact, he says, this is the "primary form of warfare" today.'

'Chancellor Angela Merkel .. said at the Munich Security Conference last year, noting that the West must "address the issue of hybrid warfare with the utmost urgency."

..

"There are increasingly obvious ideological connections between several extremist right-wing parties in Europe and the current Russian leadership," the Hungarian research institute Political Capital wrote in an extensive study. There are several aspects of present-day Russia that appeal to extremists: a strong leader, the suppression of civil rights and liberties, state control over strategic sectors and the constant emphasis of national interests.'

<blockquote>'Chancellor Angela Merkel has long seen the vulnerability of Western societies as a serious threat. She is worried about how quickly Western societies become unsettled, she said at the Munich Security Conference last year, noting that the West must "address the issue of hybrid warfare with the utmost urgency."

Fomenting Unrest

For Moscow, ethnic minorities are an easy tool to use in fomenting unrest. Russia sees itself as a protector of all ethnic Russians living abroad, which it used as a pretense to invade Crimea and support the separatists in eastern Ukraine. According to Western intelligence services, Moscow is also active in the Baltic countries, where there are Russian minorities. Now, it seems, the Kremlin sees German-Russians as its citizens as well. Foreign Minister Lavrov referred to the girl from Marzahn, who has Russian and German citizenship, as "our girl."

..

Since the latest edition of SPIEGEL went to print, the Berlin police have been able to clear up this mysterious case of alleged kidnapping and rape. As it turns out, the girl was simply with a 19-year-old German acquaintance during the time in question. Prosecutors say the girl had apparently decided to hide at the friend's apartment because of problems at school and later invented a story to explain her absence.

..

Like RT, the German branch of Sputnik -- named after the satellite that established the Soviet claim to supremacy in space almost 60 years ago -- is part of the Rossiya Segodnya media empire. Its mandate is to broadcast Moscow's worldview at Putin's behest. Dmitry Kiselyov, the Kremlin's chief propagandist, serves as Sputnik's general director. The only Russian journalist on the EU sanctions list against Moscow, he sees himself as being involved in an "information war." In fact, he says, this is the "primary form of warfare" today.

..

"There are increasingly obvious ideological connections between several extremist right-wing parties in Europe and the current Russian leadership," the Hungarian research institute Political Capital wrote in an extensive study. There are several aspects of present-day Russia that appeal to extremists: a strong leader, the suppression of civil rights and liberties, state control over strategic sectors and the constant emphasis of national interests.

..

The perfidious aspect of Moscow's strategy is that by spreading so many targeted lies, it has a "boy who cried wolf" effect. It blurs the lines between what is real and what is fabricated. Rather than try and beat its opponent in its battle for the truth, Russia simply sabotages the whole game. "Russian propaganda does not put out one version of a story but many, and in doing so it pollutes the realm of information," says an EU insider. "In the end, people no longer believe any version" -- including the one that's true.

This is the weakness of democratic, pluralistic societies. In a democracy, the state organizes the contest for the truth instead of dictating it. The system is based on trust and the power of persuasion, and it is relatively powerless to protect itself against abuse. It has no other choice but to continue championing the search for the truth.

"Our goal is to bring the truth to light," says NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. "We believe that critical journalism and an open political debate are the best ways to counteract propaganda." '

- Der Spiegel, The Hybrid War: Russia's Propaganda Campaign Against Germany, February 05, 2016</blockquote>


Context '..more sanctions should Russia fail..'

<blockquote>Smart Defence - Pooling & Sharing - '..generating the modern defence capabilities that the Alliance needs for the future..'

'..Moscow hopes to destabilize Europe and create a vacuum into which it can project its own power..'

'..Not only must Russian troops fully leave Ukraine and the rebels be disarmed .. without a secure Ukraine, European security is unthinkable.'


'If the West shows firmness in opposing [Russian influence in Eastern Europe]..'

'..Putin is unacceptable to the world..' - '..Stockholm now considers Russia to be the top threat to Swedish national security..' - 'Russia is still pouring heavy weapons into Ukraine..' - '..[use] all .. tools to help Ukraine..'

'..consider more sanctions against Moscow for its support of pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine..'</blockquote>