04/22/2022 11:37 (act 04/22/2022 11:37)
Several viral videos on the Internet are falsely claiming that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has a drug problem. ©Ukraine Presidential Press Agency via AP
There is a lot of misinformation about the war in Ukraine on the internet. In some viral videos, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is being accused of having a drug problem.
In one article, the headline reads “cocaine madness in a swivel chair”, users also assume cocaine consumption. However, the alleged evidence does not stand up to fact verification.
False allegations: President Zelenskyy is said to be using cocaine
Assessment: There is no evidence that Zelenskyy is harmed by drugs in his videos. The alleged trace of cocaine on his table can be clearly identified as a table decoration.
Verification: Several allegations of Zelenskyy’s alleged drug use are based on a panoramic camera in his recent video posted to Instagram. In the second 15, several white stripes can be seen on the table.
Images from this video segment were referenced in articles and social media for the white lines. Cocaine use is suggested. Zelenskyy’s video is often circulated with lower image and audio quality.
The lines on Zelenskyy’s table are reflections of the decor
In the video on their official account, the better image quality alone explains what the white lines in the video represent. In reality, the longer lines are table decorations and the shorter ones are the reflection of a picture frame placed on the table surface.
This can be verified by other recordings from Zelenskyy’s desk. The table cushion is decorated with a double-line frame.
Pro-Russian circles suspect Zelenskyy of drug problems
Zelenskyy is repeatedly accused by critics and pro-Russian circles of using drugs such as alcohol or cocaine. The videos provided do not provide any evidence. Zelenskyy underwent a drug test on his own initiative in the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election campaign, after drug allegations also surfaced at the time. This turned out to be negative.
Zelenskyy took a drug test after accusations in 2019
Zelenskyy refused the summons for a second test because he feared provocations from his opponent at the designated location. However, he stated that he was willing to carry out tests in other international laboratories and that he did not use drugs.
Alleged drug use in Ukraine is Russian propaganda
The alleged excessive use of drugs in Ukraine is also part of Russian propaganda. Russian President Vladimir Putin described the Ukrainian leadership in February as “drug-addicted neo-Nazis”.
63% of all Russians have been arrested for drug offenses
Russia is known for its harsh drug policy. In the 2018 “International Narcotics Control Strategy Report”, the US agency Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs referred to information at a conference in St. incarcerated for drug-related crimes. offenses.
According to an analysis of the 2021 parliamentary debates, Russia perceives drugs as a threat to its own people and sees the problem as imported from other countries.
End of rehabilitation programs for drug addicts in Crimea
After the annexation of the Crimean peninsula, rehabilitation programs for drug addicts were stopped, which would also have led to an increase in HIV infections. As Russia does not allow methadone to treat drug addicts, there have been numerous deaths from overdose or suicide.
Political opponents are often accused of being close to drugs
Associating politically undesirable opponents with drug ties is a common strategy used to paint the person in a bad light. Well-known examples are the manipulated videos of American Democratic politician and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (20). Actual videos of Pelosi’s interviews and speeches were slowed down to make it look like the politician was drunk and sick in his head. The videos have been viewed millions of times.