Fact check: Are there currently russian disinformation efforts to push the narrative that germany is more dependent on russian gas than before the invasion?

1. Summary of the results

There is clear evidence of active Russian disinformation campaigns targeting Germany, including a sophisticated operation called "Storm-1516" that uses AI, deepfake technology, and networks of pro-Russian influencers ^[1]. The campaign involves over 100 fake websites and coordinated social media efforts specifically designed to spread false narratives about German politicians ^{[1] [2]}.

The reality about Germany's gas dependency shows that the country has successfully reduced its reliance on Russian energy since the invasion ^[3]. While Germany's overall energy import dependency increased from 63.4% to 68.6% in 2022, Russia's share of EU energy imports has dropped substantially across all categories - oil, gas, and coal ^[4].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The disinformation campaign has broader objectives beyond just energy narratives:

• It aims to weaken support for Ukraine and tarnish NATO's image ^[5]
• It specifically targets centrist parties (Greens, CDU, and SPD) while promoting far-right parties like AfD and the left-wing Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance ^[2]
• The campaign seeks to polarize voters and spread uncertainty during German elections ^[2]

Germany has made significant progress in energy security:

• Gas storage facilities are filled well above target levels
• New LNG import infrastructure is being developed ^[3]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question itself focuses narrowly on gas dependency, but this is just one aspect of a much larger disinformation campaign. Several groups benefit from pushing various narratives:

• Pro-Russian political parties (particularly AfD and Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance) benefit from amplifying these narratives as they receive favorable treatment in Russian disinformation campaigns ^[2]
• The Kremlin benefits by undermining support for Ukraine and NATO while promoting political instability in Germany ^[5]
• Centrist German parties (Greens, CDU, SPD) are being specifically targeted and damaged by these campaigns ^[2]

The sophistication of these campaigns, using AI and deepfake technology ^[1], makes it increasingly difficult for the average citizen to distinguish between genuine information and disinformation.