The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) reports a notable increase in Russian disinformation targeting Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the CDU. According to the BfV’s statement to the Handelsblatt, heightened “information manipulation activities” aimed at Merz have been observed since the 2025 Bundestag elections, with the frequency of these activities escalating further since the end of June 2026.
These campaigns primarily operate across social networks, though the perpetrators employ well-known media brands to bolster their credibility. The security office explained that falsehoods are predominantly disseminated under the guise of established German and international media houses. The ultimate aim of this information manipulation is to discredit politicians whose views do not align with the strategic interests of the Russian Federation. On a broader level, the BfV stated that the objective is to heighten societal tensions, undermine public confidence in democratic processes, and influence political opinion and decision-making.
Marc Henrichmann, the head of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee for Intelligence Services (CDU), has linked the campaign against Merz to the “Storm-1516” network. This group had previously been flagged for disinformation efforts even before the 2025 Bundestag election, and German security agencies attribute it to the Russian military intelligence service (GRU). Henrichmann told the Handelsblatt that a systematic negative character profile of the Chancellor is being constructed through the use of fabricated videos and purported news reports. Behind these operations, there is a deliberate Russian strategy designed to fracture society and erode faith in the state.
