The Kremlin launches a new shadow campaign against Ukraine in Germany. Ahead of and during the Munich Security Conference (13–15 February 2026), Russian intelligence agencies are reportedly planning a large-scale hybrid operation using pro-Kremlin “pacifist” movements, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, also known as HUR, warns.
Among the main actors is Friedensbewegung (“Peace Movement”), which is set to coordinate street-level anti-Ukrainian actions and information campaigns serving Moscow’s interests.
A peaceful cover, the Kremlin inside
Ukraine's Defense Intelligence notes that Kremlin narratives aim to whitewash Russia’s criminal policies and discredit support for Ukraine. Key messages include:
- “Supporting Ukraine provokes a Third World War”
- “The EU and NATO are aggressors”
- “Russia poses no threat to Europe”
Friedensbewegung is a decentralized network of anti-war and anti-military initiatives formed in the 1950s–1980s to oppose NATO policies and the deployment of nuclear weapons in West Germany. Today, its most active members are closely linked to Russian intelligence services.
Kolbasnikova, Schlund, and Seeswald
Ukraine's Defense Intelligence has highlighted the leading figures in the campaign:
- Yelena Kolbasnikova (b. 20 March 1975) — organized pro-Kremlin rallies in Cologne and Düsseldorf, openly supports the Putin regime, and received Russian citizenship in 2023.
- Max Schlund (Rostyslav Teslyuk, b. 23 April 1985) — Kolbasnikova’s partner, closely connected to Russian “Cossacks,” organized pro-Russian actions, and fled to Russia after German prosecutors conducted raids in 2024.
- Vyacheslav Seeswald — a pro-Russian activist who systematically spreads Moscow’s narratives in Europe via Telegram and connections with Russian intelligence and far-right groups.
Ukraine's Defense Intelligence emphasizes that the activities of these individuals are masked as “peace initiatives,” while the real purpose is to improve Russia’s image, justify its war crimes, and promote surrenderist ideas about “peace at any cost.”
