Russian propagandists are spreading information that Volodymyr Zelenskyi will not be allowed to speak in the US Congress on September 21. It seems that meetings between the President of Ukraine and representatives of the US authorities are planned in the White House and the Pentagon, and Congress at this time will consider the issue of assistance to Ukraine. When making such statements, Russian propaganda refers to an article by The Financial Times. This is manipulation.

The case was examined by fact-checkers from the Center for Strategic Communications and the No Lies Project. The Financial Times did indeed publish an article with the headline “Volodymyr Zelenskyi to meet Joe Biden in Washington in quest for more aid”. However, the material does not contain information disseminated by Russian propaganda, supposedly Zelenskyi will limit himself to a meeting with UN representatives.

Moreover, Volodymyr Zelenskyi will speak in the US Congress and this speech was initiated by representatives from the Democratic and Republican parties.

Thus, Russian propagandists are trying to discredit the United States and show that the West is allegedly so tired of the war that it does not even want to listen to Zelenskyi. Previously, we refuted the fake news that graffiti with “Zelenskyi the cannibal” was created in Berlin.

Such information was disseminated on social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that Volodymyr Zelenskyi recently allegedly signed a law allowing members of the LGBTQIA community to travel abroad freely. In the publication, the authors add a screenshot of “news” from the Public website. It is not true.

The case was examined by StopFake analysts who first checked the authenticity of the screenshot itself and found that it was not real. The authors of the fake publication simply used another piece of news with an image of Zelenskyi and changed the name in the photo editor. In addition, on the official website of the president and in the special “Decrees” section there is no information about such a legislative initiative. If one searches there for the LGBTQIA community itself, there are only petitions with various calls, including for permission to travel abroad. And yet, petitions are an attempt by private individuals to appeal to the authorities and advocate for some initiatives. Volodymyr Zelenskyi has nothing to do with the creation of this petition.

The fact-checkers reminded that men aged 18 to 60 years are prohibited from leaving the country according to the Law of Ukraine “On mobilization preparation and mobilization”. If there are documents confirming the condition of such persons as incapable of military service, for example, this category of people can go abroad. But this, of course, is not the only condition. Transgender people also have the right to travel abroad if they have a number of documents. This is stated in the report of the LGBT rights center “Our World”. One needs to have a certificate of transgender transition, contact the civil registration authorities and get a new birth certificate and then a biometric passport. Human rights activists explained that without the appropriate documents and the conclusion of a medical commission - if transgender women have the gender “husband” indicated in their documents - such a person will be subject to mobilization.

Russian propaganda once again instrumentalized the LGBTQIA community and portrays people as weak, unlucky and wanting to “flee abroad” and not perform military service. In this case, the Kremlin appealed to the entire community—lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender people, intersex people, and others—and thus hinted at the “frailty” of these people. That even Volodymyr Zelenskyi is allegedly ready to send them out of the country. But the presence of LGBT people in society, and in the army in particular, testifies to the opposite attitude towards the community in Ukrainian discourse.

For example, back in 2018, the association “Ukrainian LGBT Military for Equal Rights” was created in Ukraine. The founder of this organization was the then volunteer of the Donbas battalion, and now a fighter of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade, Viktor Pylypenko, who made his first coming out as a veteran combatant. The organization itself says that it has 300 LGBTQIA military personnel, including 20 couples, and these are only those who have an active social position.

Such information was disseminated on social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that graffiti with “anti-Ukrainian overtones” was painted on a residential building in Berlin. According to the authors of the fake message, graffiti depicting Volodymyr Zelenskyi eating the hand of a Ukrainian fighter. The hand itself is torn from the body and a Ukrainian chevron is depicted on it. And the inscription on Zelenskyi’s figure is cannibal. The authors refer to a number of German publications, in particular the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper and the national broadcaster Deutsche Welle, and add screenshots of supposedly news from the official pages of the publications. However, this is not true.

StopFake fact-checkers began to analyze this case and found out that such graffiti does not exist. But the German media did not come out with similar news and no mention of “Zelenskyi the cannibal” was found. Accordingly, propagandists used image editors to create images of graffiti. Experts also verified the authenticity of screenshots from fake publications - “news” on the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung website and “story” on the official Instagram account of Deutsche Welle with a photograph of graffiti. Thus, the compilation of photographs is indicated by numerous errors in the design of the German-language text. For example, propagandists wrote “Zelensky” and “Zelinsky”, although according to the German-Ukrainian transliteration the sound “z” is rendered by the letter “s”. Not all German-language publications adhere to these rules, but the Allgemeine Zeitung media workers use the “Selenskyi” form in their materials. On the contrary, Deutsche Welle resorts to international transliteration and is indicated as “Zelenskyy”. But they definitely don’t write like in the previous fake versions.

Regarding the publication of stories in Deutsche Welle, no information about “graffiti” was found on the website or other resources. It is most likely that this story was also made using Photoshop, since the same screenshot is constantly distributed in the Russian segment of social networks: this is indicated by the time of the probable publication of the story. All screenshots indicate that the stock was published 18 hours ago.

We have repeatedly refuted fake news related to fake graffiti or covers on foreign magazines/newspapers. Thus, propagandists seek to show that their rhetoric (for example, that Zelenskyi is hated by the whole world) is also repeated in the West. So it may seem to readers that the public is really dissatisfied with Ukraine. And especially when the authors use elements of popular culture, hinting that people are laughing at the situation in Ukraine and that the Ukrainian agenda for Europe is a reason to laugh.

Read the latest fakes on this topic, where Russia turns a blind eye to false works of street art and pop culture:

It’s as if in The Hague, the capital of European justice, they created graffiti depicting Zelenskyi hanging on the gallows. 

Or look at the fake cover of the allegedly British newspaper The New European, where the Ukrainian president was sitting on the lap of the Dalai Lama. 

And about the fake cover of the numb Volodymyr Zelenskyi from the figure of the dictator Putin and Jesus Christ, read here.

Anonymous telegram channels disseminating pro-Russian rhetoric and Russian media claim that the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi allegedly admitted the failure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ counteroffensive. Like, he made such a statement in an interview with CNN. However, this is manipulation.

Analysts from the StopFake project drew attention to it. They found that in the interview cited by the propagandists, one of the topics was counteroffensive. However, in response to a request to evaluate its pace, Zelenskyi said that it was “not a film with a happy ending” and that it “will not have a happy ending” because the country has already “lost a lot of people”. This quote was taken out of context by the creators of the manipulation. The president did not once call the counteroffensive a failure throughout the interview.

With this manipulation, Russia wants to strengthen its narrative about the “failure of the counteroffensive” and discredit the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In addition, in this way she wants to force Ukraine and its population to make concessions. They say that the Ukrainian military cannot cope and it is time to end the war on Russia’s terms. Detector Media has more than once debunked other fakes related to the topic of the counteroffensive.

Anonymous telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric disseminate information that “most likely, the strike was carried out by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in order to beg for more weapons”. Volodymyr Zelenskyi allegedly decided to “put pressure on Blinken”. They also call Kostiantynivka a “large village”. It's fake.

The case was studied by fact-checkers of the Center for Strategic Communications. On September 6, 2023, the Russian military shelled the city of Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region. As reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, as a result of a missile attack by Russians on a market in Kostiantynivka, 16 people were killed and 33 were injured.

During a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Matte Frederiksen in Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelenskyi emphasized: “This is yet another deliberate terrorist attack by the Russian Federation”. He also commented on Russian statements about an allegedly Ukrainian plane that “got to the wrong place”: “This is an absolute lie. We understand what is happening there and what types (of weapons) they hit us with”.

Russian propaganda is trying to shift responsibility for the actions of the Russians onto the Ukrainians, saying that it was Ukraine itself that launched a missile strike on Kostiantynivka, in order to intimidate the citizens of our state. Also, in this way, Russian propagandists intend to encourage Ukrainians to put pressure on the authorities to stop the counter-offensive or demand peace negotiations. Earlier we wrote that the Russians disseminated information that the missile attack on Kostiantynivka was allegedly carried out by the Ukrainian military.

Anonymous telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric are distributing the cover of the supposedly French publication Franc-Tireur with the headline “The House That Zelenskyi Built”. It depicts Volodymyr Zelenskyi standing at the door of the building, and the bloody bodies of Ukrainian soldiers. It's fake.

The case was investigated by fact-checkers of the Center for Countering Disinformation. There is no edition with this cover, and the cover of issue 95 looks different on the magazine's website.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to discredit Volodymyr Zelenskyi. Russian propagandists systematically publish fake covers of famous foreign publications to show that the West is allegedly laughing at Ukraine, and Zelenskyi is to blame for the war because he does not want to stop it. Previously, we refuted the fake news that the American publication Chronicles published a cover story about Russia’s superiority over Ukraine in aviation.

In the Russian segment of Facebook and TikTok, a video allegedly from a protest in Odesa was distributed. People went to the rally allegedly to demand “Ukraine without Zelenskyi”. It is not true.

The case was investigated by the MythDetector project fact-checker. They found that the people in the video did not demand Zelenskyi's resignation, but took to the action against the allocation of funds from the budget for the repair of the Kyiv District Court and the Theater for Young Spectators. People gathered for the action in Odesa for several days in a row, starting from August 28. On September 2, they came out with posters “First the Armed Forces of Ukraine, then everything else”, “My taxes for the Armed Forces of Ukraine”, “The Armed Forces of Ukraine in the first place”. The Facebook users themselves who shared this video are posting posts broadcasting Kremlin narratives.

Thus, the Russian propaganda is trying to spread the opinion that Ukrainians do not support Volodymyr Zelenskyi, but rather demand his resignation. Like, they are dissatisfied with the president of the country and the decisions they make. Earlier, we talked about the manipulation that in Polish online stores Zelenskyi's book is sold in the section about the Nazis.

Anonymous telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric spread information that the book with the speeches of Volodymyr Zelenskyi is allegedly sold in Polish online stores in the same section as books about the Nazis. “In the “You may like” section, the store automatically offers books about the Volyn massacre, the UPA and, unexpectedly, Mein Kampf”, the telegram channel says. It is not true.

The case was investigated by the VoxCheck fact-checker. The book on the screenshot from the online store belongs to the author Wojciech Rogachin and is called Zelenskyi  Biography, it was published by the publishing house Wielka Litera, it is about the life path of Zelenskyi. Also, on the screenshot distributed by the propagandists, the site allegedly says “Może i się spodobać” – “I might like it”, although the correct word would be “Może ci się spodobać” – “Perhaps you will like it”. Fact-checkers have established that, probably, Russian propaganda distributed a screenshot from the website of the Tania Książka bookstore. There are also differences in the recommended books, and in the price, and in the title of the headings. Moreover, the site does not sell Hitler's book Mein Kampf, but only a critical edition with comments by the Polish historian Eugeniusz Krul.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to discredit Poland and continues to promote the narrative that Volodymyr Zelenskyi is a Nazi, like all Ukrainians. Earlier, Detector Media denied the fake that a stamp with Zelenskyi in the image of Hitler was issued in Poland.

The Kremlin media are spreading information that Volodymyr Zelenskyi said in his interview that he is “afraid” to transfer hostilities to the territory of Russia, therefore he “will not attack the Russian Crimea”. Russian propaganda concluded that the President of Ukraine allegedly “hinted that he was ready to give up” the peninsula. It is not true.

The case was investigated by the fact-checkers of the StopFake project. Russian propaganda fabricated statements by Volodymyr Zelenskyi about Crimea by combining two different excerpts from an interview he gave to the 1+1 TV channel. The President of Ukraine did not make statements about the “Russian” status of Crimea, the “belonging” of the peninsula to Russia and about Ukraine's readiness to abandon Crimea.

Zelenskyi said that Ukraine does not need to transfer hostilities to the territory of Russia, because only the de-occupation of Ukrainian lands is important for the Armed Forces. And on the de-occupation of Crimea, Zelenskyi noted that the liberation of the peninsula and its demilitarization by political means would help Ukraine save the lives of its citizens.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to discredit Volodymyr Zelenskyi and cause mistrust among Ukrainians. Earlier, Detector Media denied the fake that Zelensky had “usurped” power in Ukraine.

Anonymous telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric are circulating a video message from American actress Priscilla Presley to Volodymyr Zelenskyi, in which she allegedly urges him to seek help for drug addiction. The actress allegedly posted the video on her Instagram page. It's fake.

The case was investigated by fact-checkers of the Center for Countering Disinformation. There is no video message to Volodymyr Zelenskyi of Priscilla Presley's social networks, and the only source where this video was distributed are pro-Kremlin telegram channels.

This fake is part of an enemy campaign to discredit Volodymyr Zelenskyi. Like, the president of Ukraine is a drug addict, so he makes a decision in a state of altered consciousness. Earlier, we refuted fakes that American boxer Mike Tyson and American actors Elijah Wood, Dean Norris and John McGinley called on Zelenskyi to be treated for alcohol and drug addiction.

Such information is disseminated in the Nigerian media segment. Reports say Volodymyr Zelenskyi allegedly purchased a villa for his mother-in-law, Olha Kyiashko. In the material, the media provide evidence of the purchase of the villa, in particular, they show the relevant documents on the purchase. They also add a “video of investigative journalist” Mohammed Al-Alawi. Subsequently, this information was disseminated by anonymous Russian propaganda telegram channels, reporting that Zelenskyi makes all purchases “from the pockets of taxpayers”. It's a lie.

First of all, the “material-investigation” includes many factual errors. The authors provide a photo of an alleged document on the purchase of real estate, where the future owner of the house is indicated. So the document says that he owns the house of Olha KIYASHKO, although according to the current standards of the state migration service, the transliteration on all documents would look like this - Olha KYIASHKO. The authors did not prove the authenticity of such a “document” and did not explain where they got it from. What the authors were asked more than once in the comments under the video. That is, the contract for the purchase of a villa, at least, does not exactly apply to Olha Kyiashko.

Moreover, regarding the “journalistic investigation video”, it was published on a YouTube channel created a few days before the information about the purchase was thrown out. And the post of the investigative journalist himself raises many questions. Since, upon request in the search engine, Mohammed Al-Alawi, the investigative journalist gives only a link to the material about the purchase of the villa and no additional information about this person. In general, the text is full of value judgments and false information.

Russian propaganda is trying to portray Ukraine as a cradle of corruption in order to devalue and level Ukrainian intentions to fight corruption and further European integration measures. Allegedly, Ukrainian officials are buying up real estate for misappropriated funds from Western partners. In addition, the fight against corruption is one of the requirements of European integration. By dispersing such fakes, propagandists are trying to show that corruption cannot be fixed in Ukraine, which is why it will be taken into the EU or NATO.

Anonymous telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric spread information that allegedly the European Union is abolishing the visa-free regime for Ukraine. The introduction of a special permit ETIAS is the abolition of visa-free travel and Zelenskyi is to blame for this. It's fake.

The case was investigated by the VoxCheck fact-checker. In fact, the introduction of ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) is a system of long-term permits for crossing the EU border, is not a visa-free abolition. It will come into force only in 2024, not only for Ukraine, but also for other countries that are not members of the EU. Volodymyr Zelenskyi is not associated with this decision.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to sow discouragement among Ukrainians, saying that the West is tired of Ukraine, and to discredit President Volodymyr Zelenskyi they say that  allegedly because of his actions and decisions, Ukraine's relations with the West are deteriorating. Earlier, we refuted the fake that Zelenskyi admitted that the United States started a war in Ukraine.

Russian media broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric published a video on Instagram and YouTube in which American actor John McGinley, who played the role of Dr. Cox in the TV series Clinic, allegedly urges Volodymyr Zelenskyi to start drug addiction treatment and take care of himself. It's fake.

The case was investigated by the fact-checkers of the StopFake project. Actor John McGinley does not have an Instagram account and did not publish his appeal to Volodymyr Zelenskyi. To create this fake, Russian propaganda used the cameo.com website, where one can order a celebrity appeal for a certain amount. The video only mentions the name Volodymyr, but there is no mention of Ukraine.

This is not the first time propagandists have been spreading the message that Volodymyr Zelenskyi has a drug addiction, and the whole world is trying to call him for treatment. Earlier, we refuted fakes that American boxer Mike Tyson and American actors Elijah Wood and Dean Norris called on Zelenskyi to be treated for alcohol and drug addiction.

Pro-Kremlin media are spreading information that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi is allegedly a war criminal. Russian deputy Sheremet said that the whole world knows about this: “I am sure that in the near future we will see, I hope, Zelenskyi alive in the dock”. The President of Ukraine allegedly destroys peaceful infrastructure in order to justify the financial resources invested in the “terrorist” regime of Ukraine. It's fake.

The case was studied by the fact-checkers of the Center for Strategic Communications. Not a single institution recognized the President of Ukraine as a criminal. At the same time, Russian President Volodymyr Putin was recognized, and a warrant for his arrest was issued by the International Criminal Court. The strikes on the Kerch bridge, which Volodymyr Zelenskyi commented on, are used by the Russian military. This is a military target, illegally erected by the occupiers.

Thus, the Russian propaganda is trying to discredit the President of Ukraine and shift the responsibility for Russia's crimes to Ukraine. Russian propagandists use the tactics of reflection and bring charges against Volodymyr Zelenskyi the same as they bring against Putin. Earlier, we refuted the fake that Zelenskyi admitted that the United States started a war in Ukraine.

Anonymous telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric distribute the cover of an ostensibly German edition of Eulenspiegel, which depicts Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Polish President Andrzej Duda and the text of the Volyn tragedy. It's fake.

The case was investigated by fact-checkers of the Center for Countering Disinformation. They determined that there was no issue with that cover, and that the barcode on the cover was from another issue.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to spoil relations between Poland and Ukraine and create the appearance that there is tension between the countries supporting each other. Earlier, Detector Media talked about the manipulation that Poland officially demands an apology from Ukraine because of the Volyn tragedy.

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that a banner advertising Volodymyr Zelenskyi was installed in New York with the inscription: “I made 10 times more than a Barbie movie”. The authors add photo evidence to the messages. It is not true.

Fact-checkers of the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council determined that such a banner does not exist. The propagandists used a real photo of the banner and put a photo of Zelenskyi on it. Specialists of the Consulate General of Ukraine in New York confirmed to fact-checkers that the banner about Zelenskyi is not real, and explained what is now depicted on it: an advertisement for the Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter Exhibition.

Thus, propagandists seek to show that their rhetoric is also repeated in the West, so that people get the impression that the whole world is opposed to Ukraine and supports Russia.

Russian media that spread pro-Kremlin rhetoric and in the Russian segment of Facebook distributed a video with American actor Dean Norris, where he allegedly calls on Volodymyr Zelenskyi to go to Hazelden Betty Ford, a rehabilitation center for alcoholics and drug addicts. This video was allegedly posted by the actor on Instagram and tagged the official account of Volodymyr Zelenskyi and the rehabilitation center. It is not true.

The fact-checkers of the Myth Detector project drew attention to the case. Actor Dean Norris did not post this video on social media, nor did it get circulated in reliable media. The videos were probably bought on the cameo platform, where you can buy personal videos from celebrities. Also, there are no details in the video indicating that the actor is referring specifically to Volodymyr Zelenskyi, just as there is no mention of Ukraine. In the video, Dean Norris refers to a certain “Volodymyr”. And the background and clothes of the actor are similar to those in other cameo videos. Moreover, after the start of the full-scale invasion, actor Dean Norris supported Ukraine and tweeted about it.

Thus, propagandists are trying to promote the thesis that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi allegedly has problems with drugs and alcohol, therefore, he is inadequate, and the whole world is trying to call him for treatment. Earlier, we refuted the fake that American boxer Mike Tyson and American actor Elijah Wood urged Zelenskyi to be treated for alcohol and drug addictions.

Such information was disseminated in social networks and propaganda media. Reports say that the US is unhappy with Zelenskyi’s policies “because of the constant shelling of Moscow”. Like, Volodymyr Zelenskyi is engaged in arbitrariness and lawlessness reigns in Ukraine. The authors add that Western leaders dream of “getting rid of and eliminating” Zelenskyi. They assure that the United States is already looking for the next president of Ukraine. The publications also cite Politico publications. This is manipulation.

Analysts of the StopFake project took up this case and determined that the Politico material does not refer to the “liquidation of Zelenskyi”, that is, the assassination or removal from power. They are talking only about possible scenarios in the event of an attempt by Russians on the President of Ukraine. The material itself is called "Ukraine's plan if Russia assassinates Zelenskyy”. In his column, an American journalist analyzed the situation with the likely murder of Zelenskyi.

Indeed, at the beginning of a full-scale invasion, there were several unsuccessful attempts to eliminate Zelenskyi. The journalist described the course of actions of the Ukrainian authorities in such a situation. That is, the material did not talk about the murder or removal from power of Zelenskyi. In the author's column, the media worker described his thoughts and predictions. At the same time, the propagandists distorted the context of the material and invented the theses that were beneficial for themselves.

By spreading this manipulation, the authors seek to show that the world is dissatisfied with Zelenskyi and they want to get rid of him. Thus, propagandists present the President of Ukraine as an “incompetent” leader who is engaged in arbitrariness.

Users of the American segment of the social network X, formerly known as Twitter, Facebook and in the Russian segment of TikTok, are distributing a video with a digital billboard image with the alleged inscription: “Stop Zelenskyi, stop the war”. It's fake.

The fact-checkers of The Reuters paid attention to the case. A video circulated online allegedly featuring Zelenskyi on a billboard in Japan has been edited. Russian propaganda took a long video filmed 2 years ago as a base; before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it was posted by the verified YouTube account “Virtual Japan”, a streaming channel that shares videos of everyday life in Japan. At 21:22, pedestrians and passing cars can be seen in the background in the edited video. The video was filmed in Shibuya, Tokyo.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to discredit the support of Western partners and convince Ukrainians that tabroad they believe that it was Ukraine and Volodymyr Zelenskyi who started the war with Russia. In fact, Japan supports Ukraine in the fight against the aggressor, that is, Russia. Earlier, Detector Media talked about the message that the West is supplying weapons to Ukraine and thereby allegedly violates international law.

Anonymous telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric are circulating a cover allegedly published by the French satirical publication Charlie Hebdo depicting Volodymyr Zelenskyi against the backdrop of the burning Crimean bridge. It's fake.

The fact-checkers of the VoxCheck project drew attention to the case. No issue of Charlie Hebdo had such a cover. On the fake cover it is indicated that this is a special issue of July 18, 2023, the number of which is 1579. The publication’s website has an archive of all issues, so the fact-checkers found the magazine under the number 1579. It was released on October 26, 2022 and had a different cover.

Russian propaganda systematically distributes fake covers of famous foreign publications. Thus, Russian propagandists are trying to laugh at Volodymyr Zelenskyi and show that the President of Ukraine is not respected all over the world. Earlier, we refuted the fake that the American magazine The Nation dedicated a cover to Zelenskyi calling him an “evil boy”.

On August 1, 2023, the American publication Politico published an article that talks about Ukraine's plan in the event of the death of Volodymyr Zelenskyi. In this case, the “governing council” will supposedly include the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk, the head of the Office of the President Andrii Yermak, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov. At the same time, Valerii Zaluzhnyi will remain the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The publication refers to the comments of the Ukrainian MP from the opposition party “European Solidarity” Mykola Kniazhytskyi and senior researcher at the Eurasian Center of the Atlantic Council Adrian Karatnytskyi. Ukrainian businessman Yaroslav Azhniuk ruled out the possibility of a Russian assassination as “the realm of alternative history”.

The case was studied by the Center for Strategic Communications. On August 1, on the air of the telethon, NSDC Secretary Oleksii Danilov commented on Politico's article and called it nonsense and stuffing. “We have a Constitution, we have laws, we know how to do it. But why do some representatives of our country do such information stuffing providing [journalists] with absolutely non-validated information, this is a question”, Danilov said.

Oleksii Danilov also noted that recently Russia has stepped up information attacks, and it can use Western media to spread lies.

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. American boxer Mike Tyson is reportedly suggesting that Zelenskyi “fight drug addiction”. The authors add that the whole world already “knows” about the dependence of the Ukrainian president and world leaders are trying to turn him, they say, onto the right path. An alleged video of the Reuters news agency is added to the publication.

The Center for Counteracting Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council explains that the video has been compiled. First of all, it is without sound, which means it is impossible to determine what the athlete was saying. Moreover, with the help of a reverse Google search, fact-checkers managed to find out that Reuters does not have exactly such a video with Tyson, where he tells something live in the studio. It is most likely that the news agency badge was superimposed on the video sequence, because this is not the original video.

That is, the authors of the messages did not provide hard evidence that the athlete called on the Ukrainian president to be treated for drug addiction. They posted the video without sound and the alleged source. This makes it easier for propagandists to manipulate and simply promote the thesis they want.

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that an Indian magazine recently ran a cover featuring Volodymyr Zelenskyi as Lord of the Rings character Gollum the Hobbit. Also on the cover there is an inscription: “No ring can help hide the truth”. It is not true.

Fact-checkers of the Center for Countering Disinformation investigated this case and found that such a cover does not exist. The fake cover states that it is scheduled for release on August 2, 2023. The announced magazine has a completely different cover as the official website of the magazine published the announcement of the magazine. 

Thus propagandists seek to show that their rhetoric is also being repeated in the West. So readers may get the impression that the whole world is opposed to Ukraine.

Anonymous telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric and the Ukrainian segment of Twitter spread the advertisement allegedly filmed by the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany party. In the video, people in uniform come to a German family and begin to take everything of value out of the apartment. Then they hang a portrait of Volodymyr Zelenskyi and say, “Heil Zelenskyi”. The main opinion of the video is that Ukraine is robbing the inhabitants of Germany. It's fake.

The case was studied by the fact-checkers of the Center for Strategic Communications. They determined that there was no such video on the website of the Alternative for Germany party. It is not mentioned in the German press, moreover, the video is actively distributed in pro-Kremlin blogs. Radio Liberty journalists found that Russian actors played the roles in this video, which suggests that the video itself was probably also filmed by Russians.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to discredit Germany and show that Ukraine is draining the resources of other countries. All this to reduce Western aid. Previously, we talked about the manipulation that Latvia transferred all the air defense systems to Ukraine and was left without protection.

In the Georgian and Russian segments of Facebook, an alleged cover of the American edition of The Nation is being distributed, in which Volodymyr Zelenskyi holds three frightened leopards on leashes, mines lie next to them, and a little further under a tree there are Russian military men in helmets with the letter “Z”. The leopards allegedly personify the Leopard tanks handed over to Ukraine, which seem to be unable to break through the Russian defense line. It's fake.

The fact-checkers of the Myth Detector project drew attention to the case. They determined that The Nation had never published such a cover. Moreover, fact-checkers contacted the publication, where they confirmed that such a cartoon was not published in any issue of the magazine.

Russian propagandists systematically distribute fake covers of foreign publications. Thus, they are trying to ridicule Volodymyr Zelenskyi and the Ukrainian authorities and show that the West does not support Ukraine. Earlier, we refuted the fake that the humorous magazine LeMan depicted Zelenskyi on the cover, who was tied to a pole with burning military equipment.