FACT CHECK: Does This Image Show Graffiti Of Volodymyr Zelenskyy Eating Money In Paris?

Anna Mock | Fact Check Reporter

A post shared on Instagram allegedly shows French graffiti of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emerging from the pavement and inhaling bank notes. 

 

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A post shared by @typicaloptical

Verdict: False

There is no evidence that this graffiti exists. Journalists have traveled to the location shown in the image and did not find any such artwork.

Fact Check: 

Zelenskyy was named Time Magazine’s 2022 Person of the Year for his actions during Russia’s invasion of the country, according to CBS News. A spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that this decision was anti-Russian and “short-sighted,” Insider reports.

The Instagram post allegedly shows graffiti of Zelenskyy eating money in France. The post’s geolocation is set to Paris, France and the caption claims the image was taken Nov. 11.

“Hello, France,” the caption reads. “Give me all your money. Sorry, not sorry.” The post garnered over 400 likes. (RELATED: Does This Video Show Volodymyr Zelenskyy Dancing With A Rocket Launcher?)

There is no evidence for this claim, however. Check Your Fact found no photos showing different angles of the graffiti through a reverse image search. Likewise, there are no credible news reports about the graffiti appearing in Paris.

Journalists from a French news outlet, France 24’s The Observers, geolocated the location where the alleged image was taken and did not find it there upon visiting. Myth Detector also found no such graffiti upon traveling to the location. 

This is not the first time an image depicting Zelenskyy in this manner has circulated on social media. Check Your Fact recently debunked a similar image that was incorrectly attributed to German satire magazine Titanic.

Anna Mock

Fact Check Reporter

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