Category Volodymyr Zelensky

Fake: Zelensky Urges Americans to Fight for Ukraine

An out of context excerpt from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's
press conference is being circulated online by Russian and US social media
users, claiming that he is calling on Americans to fight for Ukraine.
Answering questions during a press conference dedicated to the first
anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Zelensky said that
if Ukraine fails to stop Russia, then NATO countries will have to do it,
because capturing Ukraine will not stop Russia's expansionist policies
regarding its neighboring countries, including NATO members.

Read MoreFake: Zelensky Urges Americans to Fight for Ukraine
Did Zelensky Say U.S. Will Send Its Kids to War for Ukraine?

Did Zelensky Say U.S. Will Send Its Kids to War for Ukraine?

Misleading Material. The clip was removed from its important and clarifying context, giving a misleading impression of what Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian leader's remarks were a hypothetical answer about what could happen should Ukraine lose the war to Russia, partially due to decreased support from the United States. [...]

Zelensky did not suggest that Americans should send their children to fight now for Ukraine against Russian forces.

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Does Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Have a Body Double?

The "body double" is actually Zelenskyy's longtime bodyguard, who has held the position since 2019. The man depicted in the image in question is Maksym Donets, who was appointed head of the president's personal bodyguard team in May 2019, as well as deputy head of Ukraine's department of state protection.

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Does Video Show Zelenskyy Dancing in High Heels?

Claim: A music video features Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dancing in high heels, a cropped top, and skin-tight pants with three other men.
Rating: True
Context: Zelenskyy was a comic actor before he ran for political office. This video, made in 2014, was a parody of a well-known music video by the Ukrainian boy band Kazaky.

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A year of disinformation around the war in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has been accompanied by a ferocious battle of disinformation, waged in particular by pro-Russian agitators seeking to distort and shift the blame for many atrocities on the ground. They have sought to depict the Ukrainian side as Nazis or suggest that Western support for Kyiv is evaporating. Here are some of the main narratives, false or misleading, that have been fact-checked over the past year by AFP's digital verification teams.

Read MoreA year of disinformation around the war in Ukraine

Photo of Biden, Zelensky manipulated to show leaders holding hands

Social media users are claiming a photo from Joe Biden's surprise trip to Kyiv shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky holding his US counterpart's hand to keep him nearby. This is false; the image has been digitally manipulated to re-position the leaders' hands, the New York Times photographer who took the picture confirmed to AFP.

Read MorePhoto of Biden, Zelensky manipulated to show leaders holding hands

Photo of Biden, Zelenskyy holding hands was altered

President Joe Biden made a surprise trip to Ukraine on Feb. 20, and he was photographed walking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outside of a monastery in Kyiv.

Multiple news outlets have published the picture. But an altered version of the photo is spreading on social media....Biden announced more military aid for Ukraine on the trip, but the image, taken for The New York Times by photographer Daniel Berehulak, is doctored.

We rate claims the photo is authentic False.

Read MorePhoto of Biden, Zelenskyy holding hands was altered

Don’t fall for this promise of a ‘leaked’ recording of Biden and Zelenskyy

We found no evidence to corroborate a claim that an audio recording was leaked documenting a private conversation between the presidents. A social media post claims otherwise.

We requested to follow the account where the supposed leaked audio of Biden and Zelenskyy was posted but as of publication time, that request hadn't been granted.

However, we searched for news reports and other sources to corroborate this latest post's claim, and found none.

We rate it False.

Read MoreDon’t fall for this promise of a ‘leaked’ recording of Biden and Zelenskyy

Did Volodymyr Zelensky call for ‘preventive nuclear strikes’ against Russia? Not exactly

Social media users have been circulating a video of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, claiming that the footage shows him calling on NATO to launch preventive nuclear strikes against Russia. It turns out, however, that this footage isn't new - Zelensky made these statements back in October 2022. Moreover, the translation of his statement, originally in Ukrainian, leaves out some nuance.

Read MoreDid Volodymyr Zelensky call for ‘preventive nuclear strikes’ against Russia? Not exactly

Debunked: The fake anti-Ukraine ads targeting US and Poland – Truth or Fake

The FRANCE 24 Observers team have conducted an investigation since November 2022 and have spotted a variety of fake anti-Ukraine ads throughout the globe - a product of Russian disinformation and propaganda. Find out more in this edition of Truth or Fake.

Read MoreDebunked: The fake anti-Ukraine ads targeting US and Poland – Truth or Fake