BERLIN – German media are reporting that the government has asked intelligence agencies to investigate whether Russia is conducting a propaganda campaign in Germany.
Daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung and public broadcaster WDR reported that the government believes Russian media are being used to spread disinformation and destabilize Germany.
Government spokeswoman Christiane Wirtz declined to confirm the report Friday, saying intelligence matters are never commented on.
But Wirtz told reporters in Berlin that Germany sees "tendentious" reporting in some Russian media on Ukraine and the migrant crisis.
She also cited Russian media reports of the alleged rape by migrants of a 13-year-old girl in Germany that police later said never happened.
Wirtz said there was no evidence that Russian media had broken any laws in Germany and free speech remains protected by the constitution.
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