Video fake: protesters in the Kyiv metro allegedly chant “Ze, come down to us” against Zelenskyy
On 12–13 October, a video filmed in the Kyiv metro was circulated on social media (in particular by Georgian-language and Russian-language Facebook accounts). According to the descriptions, the footage allegedly shows Kyiv residents chanting “Ze, come down to us” during a Russian strike, supposedly demanding that Volodymyr Zelenskyy go down into the metro instead of staying in a “private comfortable bunker”. This manipulation was debunked by Georgian fact-checkers from Mythdetector.
However, this is fake. Fact-checkers from Georgia established that the video is not current and is being circulated with an altered audio track. Its original version was published back on 10 October 2022.
- Old video from 2022: The footage showing Ukrainians sheltering in the metro was indeed filmed at the Nyvky station of the Kyiv metro. However, it was recorded during another Russian bombardment in the autumn of 2022.
- Audio altered: In reality, people in the metro were not chanting anti-presidential slogans. They were singing the traditional Ukrainian folk song “Rozpriahayte, khloptsi, koni”. At the time, Ukrainian media, including Radio Kultura and Apostrof TV, reported on this and published the original video. It was a display of unity and patriotism by citizens enduring the shelling together.
- No evidence of protests: Mythdetector experts found no confirmation or reports of any current mass protests against Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Kyiv metro or elsewhere from reputable Ukrainian media.
The video fake circulating on social media is a classic example of disinformation: authentic footage (Ukrainians in the metro) is paired with fabricated audio and invented slogans to create a false impression of alleged mass protests and public dissatisfaction with the president during wartime.