The German far-right party AfD has filed a lawsuit against arms deliveries to Ukraine at the instruction of the Kremlin and with Russian cash, according to a journalist investigation.
Sergienko’s hacked emails revealed Kremlin’s operations in Germany
The Insider and Spiegel studied propagandist Vladimir Sergienko’s hacked emails, which revealed that he functioned as a go-between for the Kremlin and far-right MPs, who received text of their speeches from Moscow, advocated for Kremlin initiatives, and even sued his government. Sergienko transferred the funds to Germany in cash and through an NGO he managed.
Vladimir Sergienko, who describes himself as a political scientist, frequently appears on the Kremlin propaganda talk shows, playing the role of “German political scientist” for Russian audiences. Because he spends most of his time in Berlin, he is invited to comment on German-related matters on state channels and is referred to as a “German political scientist.” The propagandist spreads falsehoods usually shown by Russian propaganda.
Far-right AfD party’s position is beneficial for Russia
As evidenced by the hacked correspondence, he serves as a connector, relaying messages from his Kremlin masters to members of the Alternative for Germany party. The AfD is still a small far-right party with 83 of the 736 seats in the German parliament. Still, the far-right began to gather traction in the spring and has already surpassed the SDP (the party to which Chancellor Olaf Scholz belongs) in the latest surveys.
AfD leaders are open about their far-right ideas and pro-Russian foreign policy position. Officially, the AfD denies any link to the Kremlin. Still, as the hacked emails reveal, the AfD’s representatives not only coordinated their operations with Moscow but also received direct instructions, including political narrative, which they dutifully obeyed.
Key Kremlin’s goal in link with AfD: to halt military aid to Ukraine
One of the key Kremlin’s goals for Germany’s far-right was to try to halt military aid to Ukraine. The Kremlin thought that through legal action, the AfD could prevent these supplies. Sergienko was tasked with explaining this concept to AfD deputies and ensuring its legal and financial support.
Read also Insight News analysis on this topic: What’s behind calls for talks with Russia and halting weapons to Ukraine?
Sergienko explains to his handler Alexei on March 1 why the case is so essential to the Kremlin: “The government’s work will be hampered.” This is a win-win situation for us because the tanks will either be delivered considerably later than expected or a lawsuit will be filed. These actions require approval, media support, and financial assistance. A Bundestag deputy will plan the move. Separately used deputy inquiries and responses from the Bundestag’s scientific service”, he explained in his letter.
Sergienko also cites the following expenses for this lawsuit: “Presumably 25 thousand euros per month (tentatively two or three months for consideration, with court security, i.e. delivery ban)” It is billed by a law firm composed of numerous specialised lawyers. Additional curatorial and representation expenses (roughly 10,000 euros).
AfD lawsuit delayed German weapons supply to Ukraine
The work on pushing German MPs into action was successful. On July 5, the AfD’s parliamentary group launched a complaint against the authorities in the Federal Constitutional Court, and the processes are now ongoing in Karlsruhe under case No. 2 BvE 5/23.
The official basis for the complaint is that the arms deliveries were not agreed upon with the Bundestag, although no German legislation requires this.
Read also Insight News analysis on this topic: Pro-Russian forces try to halt German military aid to Ukraine using ‘anti-war’ rallies.
Kremlin funding via non-profit organisations
Sergienko had direct funding from Moscow, as evidenced by correspondence in which the curator Alexei inquired, “On the German NPO, can we transfer?” Sergienko responds, “Yes.” We have the option of transferring to a German NPO. I’ll check with the auditor right now.”
Sergienko receives funds from sources other than non-profit organisations. Sergienko was seized by customs agents in April when they discovered 9,000 euros in cash on him.
This funding mechanism is comparable to that of another far-right party, the Italian “Lega Norte,” which also got funding from the Kremlin. As The Insider discovered in 2019, Gianluca Savoini and Claudio D’Amico, aides to the party’s leader Matteo Salvini, have been flying to Moscow on a “shuttle basis” every month for several years, often for only a few hours.
Sergienko was frequently on the phone with another political technologist, Sargis Mirzakhanyan, according to phone billing records obtained by The Insider and Der Spiegel. A previous OCCRP investigation exposed Mirzakhanyan’s involvement in lobbying European lawmakers to support Kremlin projects.
Read also: Useful idiots? The “Stop the War” movement serves Russia’s goal
Should we expect investigations against Sergienko and German MPs?
In response to a journalist’s inquiry, Vladimir Sergienko said he couldn’t explain what ties him to his Moscow manager and that such an unusual method of transmitting money is only possible because direct bank payments from Russia are outlawed.
The fresh information is expected to strengthen the case for German intelligence services, which have already expressed interest in Sergienko. Remittances from persons associated with the Russian state and the AfD have led to the criminal investigation of several Bundestag MPs. Sergienko, who was granted German citizenship last year, may face even more difficulties.
Read also: Blow to Russia’s intelligence capabilities in Germany forces Moscow to focus on psychological operations.
