Russian disinformation campaign spreads AI-generated deepfake of German Chancellor Merz
Russian propaganda operatives attributed to group Storm-1516 spread a fabricated story with AI-generated video claiming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hunted polar bears in Canada, publishing the false account on a fake news website with stolen credentials to create false legitimacy.
What happened
Russian propaganda operatives spread a false story claiming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz shot a polar bear, two polar bear cubs, and a seal during an exclusive hunt in Canada. The story was published on Toronto Journal, a website without publication details created apparently to spread false news, with all staff photos stolen from the real Canadian publication Toronto Star.
AI-generated video showed Merz with a hunting rifle kneeling before a dead seal and dead polar bears. The video also featured an alleged interview with a resident of Inuit village Coral Harbour claiming the village is not 'a playground for the wealthy' and that the 'massacre violates the law.' The operation was attributed to the group Storm-1516, which has previously launched disinformation campaigns against figures including French President Macron, US presidential candidate Kamala Harris, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Reported impact
The deepfake video and accompanying false narrative were disseminated as part of a Russian disinformation campaign targeting the German Chancellor to damage his reputation and credibility.
Index analysis
The incident demonstrates the use of AI-generated video to create realistic-looking false evidence supporting an entirely fabricated narrative. The operation involved coordinated use of a fake news website with stolen credentials to provide false legitimacy.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.