In April 2017, Russian nationals and associates of the Russian government conspired to offer support to the election campaign of a prominent member of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Russian government strategy papers reviewed by European news outlets, including the BBC show that Russia provided political support to far-right German MP Markus Frohnmaier during his 2017 Bundestag election campaign. One document suggests the goal of the operation was to deliver to the Kremlin its “own absolutely controlled MP in the Bundestag.” A separate document obtained from an unnamed EU state intelligence agency detailed the overarching aim of Russian support for Frohnmaier – to see him take an influential role in shaping AfD foreign policy on the expectation that he would promote closer ties to Russia and insert Russian-friendly planks into the party platform. Since Frohnmaier’s election in 2017, Russian state-sponsored media has featured the young parliamentarian prominently in its coverage, focusing heavily on his pro-Russian positions, including his public acceptance of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and his personal validation of the 2018 Russian presidential election, which he deemed to be free and fair. German officials from across the political spectrum have called for Frohnmaier to resign.