Kremlin mouthpiece spreads lie that German Chancellor Merz plans to resign August 10

A fabricated news report is circulating online, falsely claiming that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz plans to resign on August 10. The report, which features an AI-generated voice-over, has been identified as disinformation spread by Kremlin-affiliated channels.

The fake report cites the German business newspaper "Handelsblatt" as its source, alleging that Merz intends to step down due to low approval ratings. However, "Handelsblatt" has publicly refuted these claims, stating unequivocally that they never published any information regarding Merz's supposed resignation.

Analysis of the video report, including its audio track, revealed the use of artificial intelligence to generate the "journalist's" voice. The "Соловьев LIVE" Telegram channel, associated with prominent Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov, is identified as a source for this disinformation. The fake report appeared on social media on August 6.

This incident highlights the ongoing efforts to spread misinformation targeting political figures in Germany. Earlier, on July 24, Merz announced a cabinet reshuffle following the resignation of conservative faction leader Jens Spahn over a surrogacy scandal. The fabricated resignation report appears to be an attempt to destabilize political discourse.