In a conflict that has shifted in Ukraine’s favor despite the ongoing shelling of its cities, pundits and experts are now debating the possibility of either a resolution or catastrophic escalation.

With his army routing Russian forces, fresh rumors that President Volodymyr Zelensky had fled Kyiv at the height of these new victories and tensions, therefore, seemed a little ill-fitting.

The Claim

Claims on Telegram, posted by Russian state media and pro-Kremlin channels on October 12, 2022, showed a video of Zelensky in front of a green screen surrounded by cameras, being photographed for a holographic portrait.

One Telegram post stated: “The Western industry of lies, or how Ukrainians are being turned into cattle sent to the slaughterhouse. Remember all of this clown’s public videos and appeals and understand this: they are screwing all of you over, Ukrainians.”

Similar claims were posted on Twitter.

One tweet which received 30,000 engagements in less than a day, stated: “This is how the impressive Zelensky speeches are produced. Lots of green screens and hitech [sic] editing.

“Hollywood is helping out. All that technology to make things appear real; impressive propaganda. We could not do it better ourselves.”

The Facts

The rumor that Zelensky has fled Ukraine has persisted since the start of the war. Back then, Zelensky addressed these rumors directly, including one video in which he appeared alongside government colleagues in Kyiv stating: “We are here.”

The clip went viral and inspired remixes; one popular recut added Mobb Deep’s brooding rap classic Shooks One Part II to the background, a humorous nod to Zelensky’s tough response and tone.

Despite regular video addresses from his office in Kyiv and selfie video appearances around the capital, the notion that Zelensky has left Ukraine continues to be propagated, often via channels known to spread pro-Putin narratives.

The latest such claim, based on a video of Zelensky appearing in front of a green screen, has been accompanied by the suggestion that he never makes his addresses from Kyiv.

However, the green screen video and screengrabs from it have been taken wildly out of context and the false narrative attached to them fails to acknowledge evidence that shows Zelensky in Ukraine only days ago.

The green screen film was part of a tech event in June 2022. Zelensky was photographed using 3D cameras and a green screen for a hologram that was projected at Founders Forum 2022 and for an augmented reality avatar viewable via smartphone.

While a statement by Founders Forum indicates that some of the hardware used for the project was donated to the Ukrainian government to “enable continued communications in extended reality formats,” that alone does not prove that Zelensky has fled Ukraine or that he is broadcasting appearances from elsewhere in the world using this technology.

Despite recurring false claims alleging that he had left the capital, Zelensky has remained in place in the presidential palace in Kyiv throughout the war, venturing out to meet other world leaders or visit parts of Ukraine that were liberated from the Russians.

Similarly, on October 10, 2022, the president posted a video on Telegram from Kyiv addressing the Russian missile strikes on the capital and other parts of the country.

An attached message stated: “Please stay in shelters today. Thanks to the help of our military, everything will be fine.

“Always follow the safety rules. And always remember: Ukraine existed before this enemy appeared, and Ukraine will exist after it.”

While Russia’s strategy in Ukraine has become less clear-footed in recent weeks, misinformation about Ukraine and the conflict remains rampant (as was the case here).

Following the explosion on the Crimean Bridge along the Kerch strait, videos began appearing online widely shared as evidence of a missile attack when, in fact, the “missile attack” was edited footage created by a YouTuber.

Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin and the Presidential Office of Ukraine for comment.

The Ruling

False.

There is no evidence to suggest President Volodymyr Zelensky left Kyiv or Ukraine, as video footage of him shot in Kyiv only days ago shows.

The clip of him in front of a green screen was part of a tech event in June 2022 where his image was used to create a hologram and an augmented reality 3D model.

FACT CHECK BY Newsweek’s Fact Check team