Eugen Schmidt is a German politician for the AfD. Since 2021, He is member of the Bundestag, the federal diet. Schmidt was born in 1975 in the Soviet city of Oskemen and later became a German citizen. Schmidt has been known for a constant pro-Russian position and his employee Wladimir Sergijenko was proved to be a FSB contact. Russian sympathizers prevail in the AfD’s parliamentary group in the Bundestag. Eugen Schmidt even appeared on the Russian war propagandist Vladimir Soloyev’s TV show. Schmidt held a Russian passport in addition to his German citizenship in 2009.
Since the attack on Ukraine, AfD politicians have repeatedly given interviews to Russian state media. In one such interview, Eugen Schmidt referred to Germany as an “illegitimate state”. The television appearance of Eugen Schmidt on Vladimir Soloviev’s Russian propaganda program also caused outrage within the party. AfD MP Rüdiger Lucassen dubbed it “treason against the people.”
Schmidt was engaging Wladimir Sergijenko “as a translator and media worker”. Sergijenko is a pro-Russian activist in Germany. German magazine Spiegel titeld “Moscow’s Man in the Bundestag” in 2023.
According to Western secret services Sergijenko, the man could exploit the AfD on behalf of the Russian government. He may also deliver the party or its environment with money. In April and June 2023, after the man had journeyed to Russia, German customs found him with 9,000 euros in cash. Sergijenko’s connection in Moscow was a man named “Alexei” and in February 2024 journalist investigation by The Insider verified the identity of the person to be Ilya Vechtomov, an officer of the 5th Service of FSB.
Moreover, Schmidt carried Russian citizenship as well as German citizenship as of 2009. The Spiegel has issued extensive findings on Schmidt, along with former AfD MP Ulrich Oehme, who founded several pro-Russian companies, and Sergiyenko also functions as a consultant for a commodities company specializing in Russia. He regularly traveled to Russia after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and appeared on Russian propaganda shows.
Analysis
Eugen Schmidt, a German politician associated with the AfD, faces intense scrutiny due to his deep ties to Russia. From his consistent pro-Russian stance to his appearance on Vladimir Soloyev’s Russian propaganda program, Schmidt’s allegiances have come under question. His employment of Wladimir Sergijenko, a confirmed FSB contact, further raises suspicions. The fact that Schmidt held Russian citizenship alongside his German nationality in 2009 suggests a significant level of involvement with the country.
Schmidt’s subsequent interviews with Russian state media, where he denigrated Germany, only fuel concerns about his loyalties. Moreover, the revelation that Sergijenko may have exploited the AfD for Russian interests, potentially providing financial support, underscores the seriousness of Schmidt’s connections. With his involvement in pro-Russian activities and associations with individuals linked to Moscow, Schmidt’s political credibility remains deeply compromised. His actions raise fundamental questions about his commitment to German interests and the extent of Russian influence within the AfD.
