On December 7th, 2022, a photo of a Polish post stamp featuring the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was published on News-kiev.ru and social media. Moustache is added to Zelenskyy’s face, and the photo is circulated with the caption: “Adolf Zelenskyy on Polish stamps.”
The disseminated photo is altered using computer software. Post stamps with Zelenskyy’s image were indeed issued in Poland, although the authentic version does not feature Zelenskyy with a moustache. In addition, the post stamp was made on the order of a private person and was not put on sale by the Polish Post Office.
It should be noted that in the original version of the photo, Zelenskyy does not have a moustache and therefore does not resemble Adolf Hitler.
In addition, in May this year, the authentic version of the photo was circulated with the wrong context. According to various media outlets and Facebook pages, the Polish Post Office issued stamps with Zelenskyy’s image and sold them for 500 PLN each. In fact, post stamps were issued, not by the Polish Post Office, but on an individual order by one of the local MPs from Krakow – Lukasz Wantuch. He clarified on May 11th that he was the author of the stamps. According to his statement, the stamps would be sold for 500 PLN, and the proceeds would be used entirely for humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
In May, the Polish Post responded to this issue on Twitter and confirmed that the specific design was made individually by order of the customer and was not put on sale by the Polish Post. According to them, anyone can order an individual design on the website of the Polish Post.
Various visual manipulations about Zelenskyy were verified by “Myth Detector” in the past as well. For more, see our articles:
- Yet Another Fabricated Caricature of Volodymyr Zelenskyy Disseminated on Social Media
- Kremlin Media Disseminates a Fabricated Caricature of Zelenskyy in Paris
- Caricatures of Zelenskyy and Sunak do not Belong to the Indian Magazine ANANDA VIKATAN
- Does the Viral Caricature Belong to the Spanish Satirical Magazine EL JUEVES?
- Fabricated Covers of “Charlie Hebdo” about Ukraine
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