On Sept. 21, 2023, the phrase "Glory to Urine" became one of the top trending U.S. topics on X (formerly Twitter). The phrase was trending thanks to a fake video that allegedly showed a billboard in New York City's Manhattan with the same three words, supposedly as an accidentally misspelled welcome message for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He had been in town for the United Nations General Assembly.
Social media users are claiming a video shows the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shaking his body in a tight, sparkly one-piece outfit. This is false; the footage is of a performance given by an Argentine belly dancer and instructor and it appears to have been doctored to superimpose Zelensky's face.
Social media users are claiming a video shows the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shaking his body in a tight, sparkly one-piece outfit. This is false; the footage is of a performance given by an Argentine belly dancer and instructor and it appears to have been doctored to superimpose Zelensky's face.
According to the supposed CNN post, Zelenskyy had said, "We will become a new diverse and multicultural nation that will be the model state for the rest of Europe."
However, as BBC Verify journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh pointed out that same day, not only had CNN never posted this, but there was also no evidence that Zelenskyy ever said these words. Nor did Snopes find any evidence indicating Ukraine had announced plans for "mass immigration."
The "Angry Birds" demo was held in the Chernihiv Drama Theater, not a meeting of officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and NATO. Russian propaganda also contradicts itself: first they indicate that the goal was the exhibition, then they write about the meeting as the goal. Later, propagandists of the Russian Federation say that the meeting took place near the drama theater, then they put forward information that it was in the drama theater itself.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was quoted saying that U.S. contributions were needed for voting.
Currently, Ukrainian law forbids holding elections during wartime.
Claim: Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy said that "we are ready to exchange Belgorod for Ukraine's membership in NATO."
Rating: Correct Attribution
Context: Belgorod is a Russian city.
A video has been shared hundreds of times on social media alongside the false claim it shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcoming a "robot warrior" that arrived in the country in July 2023. The clip has in fact been digitally manipulated to add the robot and the original footage shows Zelensky with British leader Rishi Sunak at an army camp in south England.
A video circulating online appears to show a prominent digital billboard in Japan saying, "Stop war" and "Stop Zelenskyy." But the clip has been doctored; the sign featured people -- not the anti-Ukraine message -- in otherwise matching footage posted to YouTube in 2020, prior to Russia's invasion.
Claim: A video that went viral in July 2023 authentically depicted an ad in Japan that read "Stop Zelenskyy, Stop War."
Rating: Fake
Context: The video was posted in October 2020, before the Russian attack on Ukraine, and was digitally edited.