The German chancellery has recently been spooked by the idea that Russia might revive its “KGB methods of Cold War propaganda” in an attempt to destabilize Germany; it has therefore tasked its intelligence service to investigate whether the Kremlin really wants to “divide Europe” or are the fears just “an uncontrolled Internet rumor?”

German authorities have expressed concern over what they describe as “exaggerated” Russian coverage of the recent events in the country.

Among the hot topics is the New Year night in Cologne, which was compared to the Kristallnach (or “Crystal night”, also referred to as the Night of Broken Glass), a coordinated attack on Jews throughout the German Reich on the night of November 9, 1938.

Another issue is the disappearance and suggested assault of a 13-year-old Russian-born girl one morning on her way to school.

Russia's focus on the above events has given the German officials the grounds to suspect the Kremlin of a “propaganda attack” on Berlin.

The chancellery therefore has tasked its Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the Federal office for the protection of the Constitution to investigate whether the Kremlin has revived its “old methods of Cold War propaganda”, which former KGB (now FSB, Russia’s Federal Security Service) used to “apply skillfully back in the Soviet times”, according to Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily.

The outlet suggests that the Chancellor, as well as the presidential apparatus are closely monitoring the investigation trying to find our is it a purposeful disinformation campaign or “an uncontrolled Internet rumor”?