Users of social networks spreading pro-Russian rhetoric are distributing a video where President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi expressed a proposal to suspend the Constitution. Some of them claim that he has already allegedly implemented this solution. However, this is fake.

Specialists from the VoxCheck project drew attention to it. They found out that the quote was distorted by video editing and taken out of context. By performing a reverse quote search, they found the original of this speech by Volodymyr Zelenskyi, which took place on December 22, 2022 at the Conference of Ambassadors of Ukraine. Proof that the excerpt was taken specifically from this event is the same clothes of the president and the background, where part of the inscription of Ukraine and the coat of arms are visible. However, the quote, since, firstly, the President addressed the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the heads of diplomatic missions. Secondly, the speech said that in conditions of war they should work harder and more efficiently. “All those rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution of Ukraine are now on pause for you and me personally as representatives of our state”, Zelenskyi noted.

This is the only time the Constitution was mentioned in a speech, and the President did not make any decisions that “paused” the operation of the Constitution. Any changes to this document must be approved by the Verkhovna Rada, and in some cases, an all-Ukrainian referendum is held. In addition, according to Article 157 of the same document, changes leading to the abolition or restriction of the rights and freedoms of citizens cannot be made. Article 64 provides that conditions of martial law or a state of emergency may lead to the restriction of certain rights of citizens, but this also occurs within the framework of the provisions of the Constitution.

By spreading such fakes, propagandists want to discredit the Ukrainian government. They say that it restricts the rights of citizens and neglects the Basic Law of the state.  Detector Media also wrote about other inventions of Russian propaganda aimed at personally discrediting Zelenskyi.