THE secret services in Russia and Syria may encourage refugees to carry out orchestrated sex attacks on German women in a sick bid to oust Angela Merkel from office, it's been claimed.

The startling claim was made by an expert from the European Council on Foreign Relations, who said the foreign powers could work together in a bid to destabilise Germany in the run up to next year's election.

4 Protesters take to the streets after the sex attacks Credit: Getty Images

4 It's claimed Russians and Syrians could collude to oust Chancellor Merkel Credit: Reuters

4 Many sex attacks were reported to have taken place in Cologne in New Year's Eve Credit: DPA

The accusation against Russia comes after the CIA alleged Russian hackers had intervened in the 2016 US election to help Donald Trump get into the White House.

German tabloid Bild has now warned Mr Putin could also interfere in the upcoming general elections in Germany next year by turning the electorate against the Chancellor.

Gustav Gressel, an expert at the think-tank, said small numbers of refugees with links to the Kremlin and Syrian security services could be called into action to sway public opinion against the Chancellor.

Referring to a series of sex assaults in the city of Cologne during New Year's Eve celebrations at the start of 2016 he said: "What would happen, for example, if a similar event were repeated at a summer festival before the election as in the Silvesternacht in Cologne?

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"How would Merkel stand then? What would be the consequence for the Bundestag election? Of course, this is an extreme example, but it is within the range of possibility."

The well-publicised attacks provoked a huge anti-migrant backlash in Germany, and Gressel said similar attacks could provoke Germans to turn on Merkel at next September's election.

Merkel is considered anti-Russian by Putin and just this week she recommended extending EU sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine conflict.

Last month the Chancellor warned that Russia is already interfering with the German election adding: "We are already, even now, having to deal with information out of Russia or with internet attacks that are of Russian origin or with news which sows false information."

4 Police use a water cannon to control anti-migrant Germans in Cologne Credit: Getty Images

She said dealing with this is already a 'daily task', and added: 'So it may be that this could also play a role during the election campaign.'

But Hans-Georg Massen, who heads Germany's domestic intelligence service, said a Russian disinformation campaign was likely.

Last month he told Reuters: "This could happen again next year and we are alarmed.

"We have the impression that this is part of a hybrid threat that seeks to influence public opinion and decision-making processes."