Russia is charging that the biggest German channel ZDF hired actors to portray separatist soldiers, allegedly paid by Russia, in a major documentary film about Putin which was released a week ago.

Just when you thought the Russophobic propaganda put out by Western mainstream media couldn't possibly get any worse or more hysterically absurd, German state-run US-sponsored TV channel ZDF has exceeded all bounds.

Not satisfied with the truth of what's really happening in Ukraine's war-torn Donbass region, they decided to hire actors to show exactly what they wanted their audience to believe about Russia's supposed involvement. Or at least that is what Russia's channel 1 is charging in an explosive expose that verges on the unbelievable.

This is absolutely astounding

If true, the allegations are sure to set off an uproar in Germany, where crassly dishonest reporting about Russia coming out of the main media companies has become a national scandal and a serious political liability for Angela Merkel, who many observers say is about to lose power due to a series of missteps over the last several months. This could be the final nail in her political coffin.

ZDF immediately put out a statement denying the allegations, but the Russian case appears so conclusive it is hard to see how it could be otherwise than what the Russians are charging.

Most major television stations are taxpayer funded in Germany, and 100% owned by the government, and Germans are famously finicky about following "the rules", so this is sure to be a major bruhaha, ending up with who knows what.

See Rossiya 1's exposé of this disgraceful farce for yourself.

It is truly extraordinary.