Russian pranksters call Merkel posing as Ukraine’s ex-leader

BERLIN (AP) — Russian pranksters posing as Ukraine’s ex-President Petro Poroshenko managed to contact Angela Merkel by phone to discuss developments in Ukraine and Belarus, although the former German chancellor appeared wary during the call. Merkel’s office said Monday that the former German leader received a call Jan. 12 from someone claiming to be Poroshenko. The conversation was assisted by an interpreter from the German Foreign Ministry’s language service. Merkel’s office also said that she informed the ministry afterward about the “impression that she gained of the caller during the call,” but didn’t elaborate on what that was.