On June 7, a Facebook user posted a photo that, according to the description, shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, high on drugs, being helped to walk by foreign leaders. An identical photo was published on the Russian media portal Миртесен and posted on the Tik-Tok account voice_of_russia (1,2).
The circulated photo is altered. The authentic photo shows that Zelenskyy is held by the arm only by Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, while Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro just walks next to him.
The authentic version of the disseminated photo was taken on May 28, during the visit of the President of Ukraine to Lisbon. In the photo, Zelenskyy is pictured with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister Luis Montenegro.
| Altered photo | Authentic photo |
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The authentic photo shows only the Portuguese President holding Zelenskyy by his arm, while the Prime Minister simply walks beside them. The altered photo gives the impression that Zelenskyy requires assistance to walk. Portuguese media outlet SIC Notícias also released a video that captures the moment when the Portuguese President takes Zelenskyy’s arm and then the leaders continue walking together. Luis Montenegro is also captured in the video.
The narrative that Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a drug addict is part of Kremlin propaganda and is often used to discredit the Ukrainian President. Read other examples:
- ZELENSKYY OR PROTEST AGAINST DRUG TRADE – WHAT DOES THE SCULPTURE IN MILAN PORTRAY?
- COCAINE AND A CREDIT CARD WERE MANUALLY ADDED TO THE ALTERED VIDEO OF ZELENSKYY AND ELON MUSK
- COFFEE, DRUGS OR SPORT – WHAT DID ZELENSKYY TALK ABOUT?
The President of Ukraine is a frequent target of visual manipulation on other topics as well. For example:
- PHOTO MANIPULATION, AS IF STOLTENBERG REFUSED TO SHAKE ZELENSKYY’S HAND
- THE PHOTO OF VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY AND JOE BIDEN IS ALTERED
- FABRICATED PHOTO OF ZELENSKYY AND ARESTOVYCH AT 1999 NYC PRIDE
- ZELENSKYY’S AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL BOOK “MY FIGHT” DOES NOT EXIST AND IS BASED ON A FAKE VISUAL
- “ALT-INFO” SUPPORTERS DISSEMINATE AN ALTERED PHOTO OF ZELENSKYY AND BIDEN KISSING
About the source:
Facebook user Георгий Кушиташвили [Giorgiy Kushitashvili] regularly publishes fake information. In the past, Myth Detector has repeatedly fact-checked disinformation spread by this user.
Archive links: Fcebook-post, Миртесен
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