In December 2023, Russian-language social media users (1, 2) published posts, according to which a sticker of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with the inscription “Beggar” was placed on the front door of a supermarket in Paris. The photos attached to the posts show the logo of the French supermarket chain Franprix and a sticker of Zelenskyy on the front door of the store.
The same information and photos were also distributed by Russian-language websites (1, 2, 3, 4).
“Myth Detector” contacted Franprix to verify the information. The company’s customer relations department denied the fact that the said sticker was placed on the door of any of their stores. In addition, according to Open Online, the image of Zelenskyy’s sticker is the result of a photomontage, and the photos are altered using computer software.
franprix currently operates more than 600 stores across France. In a comment to “Myth Detector”, the company noted that the information about placing a sticker on the door of their store is a lie, and no similar case was recorded in any of their stores.
Notably, identical claims and photos were distributed in other countries as well. The information about the sticker ridiculing the President of Ukraine was verified by the Italian fact-checking platform open online.
According to the publication, the photos are altered, which can even be confirmed by observing them with the naked eye. In the photo showing the backside of Zelenskyy’s sticker and the words “beggar”, part of the Franprix design – the apple decoration – is visible on both sides of the store’s door; however, in the second photo, which shows the same sticker on the same door from the front, the apple is gone, which confirms that the sticker image is the result of photo montage.
Noteworthy that in order to discredit Volodymyr Zelenskyy, false information about caricature graffiti with his image has been spread a number of times. At different times, different users and publications claimed that such graffiti were painted in different cities of Europe and the US. See more:
- FABRICATED ARTICLES IN THE NAME OF GERMAN PUBLICATIONS ABOUT THE GRAFFITI OF ZELENSKYY
- ZELENSKYY OR PROTEST AGAINST DRUG TRADE – WHAT DOES THE SCULPTURE IN MILAN PORTRAY?
- FROM PARIS TO NEW YORK: THE JOURNEY OF THE FABRICATED GRAFFITI OF ZELENSKYY
- PRO-KREMLIN MEDIA DISSEMINATES A FABRICATED PHOTO OF GRAFFITI OF ZELENSKYY IN MADRID
- KREMLIN MEDIA DISSEMINATES A FABRICATED CARICATURE OF ZELENSKYY IN PARIS
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