Russia-linked group blamed for fake Merz resignation clip
German security services believe a Russia-linked group was behind a fake video recently spread online alleging plans for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's resignation, a source there said.
German intelligence agencies suspect a Russia-affiliated group is responsible for a fabricated video alleging Chancellor Friedrich Merz's planned resignation. The propaganda, which mimicked the branding of public broadcaster Deutsche Welle and business daily Handelsblatt, claimed leaked party documents revealed Merz's intention to step down next week due to low poll ratings.
Both media outlets dismissed the clip as a complete fabrication. Merz's office called the claims "completely invented" and intended to "confuse and unnerv[ing]" viewers. His CDU party labeled it "nonsense". The video's alleged creator, code-named Storm 1516, is believed to be an operation linked to Russian military intelligence.
This group is also suspected of spreading disinformation during the February 2025 general election, which led to Merz's leadership of a coalition with the Social Democrats. France's Viginum agency reports Storm-1516 has been behind at least 77 disinformation campaigns targeting Western nations since late 2023. Germany's domestic intelligence agency stated the latest video demonstrates the creators' close monitoring of German politics and opportunistic use of such information.
The video falsely claimed Merz would step aside in favor of Hendrik Wuest, the CDU state premier of North Rhein-Westphalia. While German media had previously speculated about a similar scenario, the video contains an obvious error, incorrectly stating a "general federal election in September" will occur when none is scheduled. The video employs a common disinformation tactic, presenting invented claims as reports from reputable media sources.
German authorities have previously linked Moscow to a disinformation and sabotage campaign aimed at weakening Germany's support for Ukraine. Recently, a drone carrying "professional explosives" was discovered near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Germany's Leipzig-Halle airport. German officials have refrained from assigning blame for this scenario, describing it as a "hybrid attack".
Written by urgent.news from RTE News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
