Reuters identifies Russian influence agents in Germany: former military intelligence officer, right-wing extremists and Cossacks

This is stated in the Reuters investigation.

Among the organizers of pro-Russian protests in Cologne in September 2022, the agency identified a former Russian Aerospace Forces officer, who previously had the name Rostislav Teslyuk, which he changed to Max Schlund after settling in Germany ten years ago. As Reuters managed to establish, Schlund was tried in Russia for attacking a man with a knife.

It is known that among the public agitators at the protest was Schlund's partner - Elena Kolbasnikova, a woman originally from Ukraine, who 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". Since the summer of that year, Schlund and Kolbasnikova have organized several pro-Russian rallies and travelled to Russian-occupied territory of Ukraine.

In particular, it is reported that in December, the couple was to participate in a forum of "civil society activists" in Moscow at the expense of the Russian House - an organization that is part of the Rossotrudnichestvo, which is under Western sanctions.

The publication also names another face of pro-Russian protests in Germany - Andrey Kharkovsky, who is associated with the Union of Cossack Warriors of Russia and Abroad, which has dozens of branches in Russia and abroad. It is known that Kharkovsky is originally from the Russian Tomsk region, currently lives in Troisdorf, southeast of Cologne, and has a small trucking business. Kharkovsky participated in the congress of Cossacks in Hanover, where Russian diplomats were also present.

Another pro-Russian figure in Germany identified by Reuters is Oleg Eremenko, a Berlin-based construction business owner and board member of an organization called Desant, which consists of former Russian military personnel. In a conversation with Reuters, he confirmed that he cooperated with the Russian military intelligence, as well as his acquaintance with Igor Girkin.

In addition, the Russian agenda in Germany is also promoted by the administrator of the German-language Telegram channel Putin Fanclub – Wjatscheslaw Seewald. In social networks, he publicly supported neo-Nazism, expressed support for the Alternative for Germany and appeared in a report by the Bavarian special service - the Office for the Protection of the Constitution - as supporting anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.

Also at the demonstrations in Cologne, Reuters also recognized a motorcyclist from eastern Germany, Jan Riedel, who heads a group called German-Russian Souls, publishes online reports of atrocities by the Ukrainian army and raises money for the Russian biker gang called Night Wolves, which is under US and EU sanctions for supporting Putin's war.

The German Interior Ministry told Reuters it takes "very seriously" any attempts by foreign states or individuals to exert influence, especially "in the context of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine”.  The Kremlin did not respond to Reuters' questions.