AfD's documented Moscow ties raise Western alarm in Germany
Germany's far-right AfD party won a regional election in Saxony-Anhalt, raising Western concerns due to its documented ties to Moscow, which include alleged bribery and propaganda efforts on Russia's behalf. Czech intelligence identified the Voice of Europe website as a Russian instrument funneling cash to AfD leaders Maximilian Krah and Petr Bystron, who reportedly received €20,000 in secret payments. German police raided Bystron's office in May 2024 on money laundering charges, while other members traveled to Russia over 100 times between 2015 and 2020. The Kremlin reportedly drafted a manifesto for the AfD in 2024, and a Berlin court barred a former lawmaker from the Bundestag over Russian intelligence contacts. The party's 2025 platform demanded lifting sanctions, repairing Nord Stream, and keeping Ukraine out of NATO and the EU.