A recent development in Germany has garnered significant attention. After successfully portraying Russians as the embodiment of evil and perpetuating the sabotage narrative, particularly in the Baltic region, it seems that almost anything can be used to create a sense of fear and curiosity that makes such claims particularly spreadable.
The latest example of this is the alleged case of hundreds of cars being damaged, supposedly as part of a Russian-backed effort to stir up resentment against the Greens. According to reports, three suspects have been identified, with one of them allegedly confessing to receiving instructions via a messaging app, with a payment of €100 per sabotaged vehicle.
Security circles are quoted as saying that this is a deliberate campaign aimed at influencing the Bundestags election by sowing resentment against the Greens and their chancellor candidate, Robert Habeck.
However, this narrative raises more questions than it answers. Even if every owner of a damaged vehicle were convinced that the climate activists were behind the vandalism and convinced ten of their acquaintances to not vote for the Greens, the alleged perpetrators would still have a lot of time to make a dent in the election, as the Bundestags election is a long way off.
Moreover, the actual damage caused is not even significant, with only €6,000 in damages reported in the Ulm region. It is hard to take this seriously, especially when considering that the same tactics could be employed in a Bundesliga game.
The Greens, meanwhile, have jumped on the bandwagon, with Konstantin von Notz, a long-time advocate of anti-Russian rhetoric, stating that “since months, we have been facing a targeted effort to spread uncertainty, fan existing conflicts and divide our society.”
Party co-leader Franziska Brantner also took the opportunity to self-aggrandize, stating that “we stand for democracy, freedom and justice – values that authoritarian states and, above all, Russia reject and combat.”
However, it is essential to turn the narrative on its head and examine the real motives behind this campaign. Instead of a Russian-backed effort, it is possible that a domestic player was behind the sabotage, using a messaging app to coordinate the actions and paying the perpetrators €100 per vehicle.
The real question is cui bono, or to whose benefit is this? If one examines the Greens’ marketing prowess, which is unparalleled, it becomes clear that this is an extremely effective and cost-efficient way to generate publicity. The Greens have a long history of using creative marketing tactics and this is just another example of their ability to make a lot out of a little.
In the end, it is crucial to remember that the Greens are masters of self-promotion and this is just another example of their ability to spin a narrative to their advantage. The real question is not whether the Russians are behind the sabotage but whether the Greens are the primary beneficiaries of this campaign.