Did Russian comedians posing as Ukraine leader call Angela Merkel? Here's what happened
Angela Merkel
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel may no longer be at the helm but she returned to headlines on Monday when her office said that the 68-year-old leader received a call in January from someone posing as Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine's ex-president. Two Russian pranksters - Vladimir Kuznetsov and Alexei Stolyarov, known as Vovan and Lexus - are believed to be linked to the call, highlighted a report by German state-run broadcaster Deutsche Welle. The duo released excerpts of the call on Telegram during which the German ex-chancellor reportedly said that the Minsk agreement bought precious time for Ukraine.
Russian comedians Vladimir Kuznetsov or Krasnov are known for their pranks against politicians and celebrities. They have so far targeted Polish President Andrzej Duda (twice in two years), former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Elton John and Prince Harry. The conversation, which they claim to have with Merkel, was assisted by German-Ukrainian interpreter from the German Foreign Ministry's language service, reports suggest. Following the call, Merkel emailed the ministry about “impression that she gained of the caller during the call."
Watch: Russia-Ukraine War: WION's ground report from Ukraine-Poland border
What is Minsk agreement
Merkel and former French President Francois Hollande brokered the 2014 Minsk deal with Poroshenko and Russian president Vladimir Putin. The details have been revealed at a time when Russia's invasion of Ukraine is set to complete a year on February 24. While the first agreement was signed in 2014, the second agreement was signed in 2015. The deal - aimed at resolving geopolitical tensions between the two nations - was also signed to stop the fighting in the rebel-held region of Donbas.
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A ceasefire, military withdrawal from the line of contact and prisoner exchange were among the highlights of the first section. In the second section, deals with the Ukrainian government - to restore control over its eastern border and holding local elections in the occupied territories - were underlined. This was expected to be followed by the political reintegration of Donbas into Ukraine.
However, despite involvement of France and Germany, it failed to bring peace in Ukraine in the years that followed. While some critics suggested the deal was in favour of Moscow, others said it was convoluted.
Merkel, however, has been a supporter of the agreement.
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