German intelligence services accuse Russia of intensifying disinformation about Chancellor Friedrich Merz

German intelligence services have detected an intensification of disinformation campaigns about Chancellor Friedrich Merz, which they say are attributed to Russia. The activities have intensified since the end of June 2026 and are being carried out mainly on the X platform and other social networks.

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), Germany’s domestic intelligence service, told Handelsblatt that these campaigns frequently use fabricated videos designed to appear as though they were published by well-known media outlets. The false content targets Chancellor Friedrich Merz and seeks to influence public perceptions of him.

Among the actors identified by the BfV are the “Matryoshka” campaign and the propaganda group Storm-1516. In December 2025, the German government officially established a link between Storm-1516 and Russia after the group disseminated disinformation during Germany’s national elections, held in February 2025.

According to German intelligence services, the aim of these operations is to escalate social tensions, undermine trust in democratic processes, influence public opinion and affect decision-making.