FACT CHECK: Does This Video Show Cocaine On Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Desk?
A video shared on Facebook claims to show cocaine on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s desk as he conducts a virtual meeting.
Verdict: False
The video is digitally altered. The original video does not show any white powder on Zelenskyy’s desk.
Fact Check:
The Facebook video allegedly shows Zelenskyy at his desk in the midst of a virtual meeting with a pile of white powder next to him. “Ukrainian president Zelensky has a cocaine problem,” the post’s caption reads.
The video is digitally altered. A reverse image search revealed the video first appeared on Zelenskyy’s verified Instagram account March 5. Notably, the original video does not show any pile of white powder on his desk.
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The video shows Zelenskyy meeting with Tesla CEO Elon Musk about sending Starlink systems to Ukraine, according to Business Insider. (RELATED: Did Volodymyr Zelenskyy Endorse Drug Use In An Interview?)
“Talked to @elonmusk. I’m grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds,” Zelenskyy tweeted after the meeting. “Discussed possible space projects. But I’ll talk about this after the war.”
The video shared on Facebook reportedly originated from pro-Russian social media accounts on Twitter and other sites shortly after the original video was posted, according to Rolling Stone. The purpose of the altered footage was to allegedly smear Zelenskyy’s image, the outlet reported.
Zelenskyy has been the target of misinformation since the conflict in Ukraine began. Check Your Fact recently debunked a digitally fabricated Time Magazine cover that featured the Ukrainian president.
