A network of Russian agents operates in Germany, which promotes pro-Russian narratives and organizes actions against support for Ukraine. This is helped by people who are connected to the Russian organization "Rosspivrobotnitsto" and also to the military intelligence of the Russian Federation.
This is stated in the Reuters investigation.
In particular, the journalists established the identities of some key figures associated with the promotion of Russian narratives in Germany. One of them is the former Russian officer Max Schlund. Ten years ago, before moving to Germany, his name was Rostyslav Teslyuk. In recent months, he traveled to the occupied territories of Ukraine, and recently a Russian state institution paid for his plane ticket to Moscow for Putinʼs conference.
Shlundʼs partner, Olena Kolbasnikova, also participates in the promotions. She is originally from Ukraine, but now lives in Germany. Kolbasnikova became popular among the pro-Russian German movement in 2022 when she claimed that she was allegedly fired from her job because of "Russophobia". Shlund and Kolbasnikova have already organized several pro-Russian actions.
Another man is Andrii Kharkivskyi. He is associated with the "Union of Cossack Warriors of Russia and Abroad", which has dozens of branches in the Russian Federation and abroad. Kharkivsky is originally from the Tomsk region of Russia, now lives in Troisdorf, southeast of Cologne, and has a small trucking business.
Reuters also identified another pro-Russian agitator. Oleg Yeremenko is the owner of a construction business in Berlin, a board member of an organization called Desant, which is made up of former Russian military personnel. In a conversation with Reuters, he confirmed that he cooperated with the Russian military intelligence GRU.
The journalists said that many of the loudest agitators operate in Germany under pseudonyms and have fake documents. They are connected either with Russian sanctioned organizations or with far-right movements.