Russia-Linked 'Storm-1516' Group Blamed for Fake Merz Resignation Video

German security services attributed a fabricated video circulating on Instagram, Facebook, X and Telegram — in English, Romanian and Slovak — to Storm-1516, a disinformation operation linked to Russian military intelligence. The video spoofed Deutsche Welle branding and falsely claimed leaked CDU documents, supposedly reported by Handelsblatt, showed Chancellor Friedrich Merz planning to resign on August 10 over his 14% approval rating, with NRW minister-president Hendrik Wüst floated as successor. Both Deutsche Welle and Handelsblatt confirmed no such report existed and called it a case of 'media-spoofing.' The fake clip contained a telltale error, referencing a nonexistent September 2026 federal election (only state votes are scheduled then). Merz's office called the claims 'completely invented' and intended to 'confuse and unnerve people.' Investigators noted Storm-1516 is the same network suspected of spreading disinformation ahead of Germany's February 2025 federal election that brought Merz to power, and Russian state outlet Pravda amplified the fake video further.