Hackers have published internal data belonging to key personnel of the Russian influence operation „Storm-1516“. The dataset, which CORRECTIV and the Russian investigative outlet The Insider examined, comes from devices belonging to John Mark Dougan, a U.S. citizen living in Russia, and reveals his funding and the campaign’s modus operandi.
The data reviewed by CORRECTIV confirms that Dougan’s activity was financed by the “Center for Geopolitical Expertise.” The leak contains Dougan’s communications with an associate, Yuri Khoroshevsky, who, according to prior media reports, belongs to GRU Unit 29155, a unit of the foreign military intelligence agency that is responsible for sabotage and political influence operations. In 2022 and 2023, Khoroshevsky regularly sent proof-of-payment documents for the operation of Dougan’s fake websites.
In January 2025, CORRECTIV reported that the campaign had interfered in Germany’s federal elections using fake news websites and manipulated videos. This year, it attempted to agitate ahead of the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Storm-1516 has also been active in the U.S. and France. To disseminate its content, the campaign also relies on a network of influencers, leading to significant reach in some cases.
Last year, the EU imposed sanctions on several individuals responsible for the campaign, including Dougan. In December 2025, the German government summoned the Russian ambassador over Moscow’s attempted interference in the federal elections.
Read the full story in German here.
