DISINFO: Zelenskyy was under the influence of illegal substances in Paris
SUMMARY
In Paris, Zelenskyy once again appeared in an unnatural state, seemingly under the influence of some illegal substances that weakened his self-control. His exaggerated facial expressions—bulging eyes, twitching eyebrows, and forced smiles—only reinforced this impression. Struggling to maintain coherence, the "expired" comedian rambled about intelligence access, and was fixated on Putin’s mortality. As his hysteria took over, one thing became evident: lovers of illegal substances do not live long, and that Zelenskyy is already spinning in circles.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aiming to defame Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
This accusation is part of a long-term ongoing pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign that relies on doctored videos and outright fabrications to claim that the Ukrainian president is a drug addict. These doctored videos, often appearing in pro-Kremlin accounts and outlets, have been used to defame President Zelenskyy for years.
For example, a 2019 interview by Zelenskyy was edited in 2022 to make it look like that he is admitting to taking cocaine. In the original video, he actually denies drug use and simply discusses his morning routine of sports and coffee. Another case involved a video that was altered to show fake white powder on his desk claiming that it was cocaine.
In yet another attempt to advance this disinformation campaign, a video was modified to make it appear as if there was cocaine on his desk. However, the "cocaine" was nothing more than a reflection of light and embossed golden lines, which are visible in other images of his office. The video's quality was deliberately degraded to make such details harder to see.
As for the claim that he is "expired", Zelenskyy is the legitimate president of Ukraine. Although Zelenskyy’s continuation in power after his initial mandate expired in May 2024 generated some domestic controversy, Ukraine’s constitution is straightforward: no elections can be held during wartime and the President of Ukraine exercises his powers until the assumption of office by the newly-elected President. The continuity of government institutions is one of the key principles of the constitution. Almost all observers consider regular elections unfeasible as there are millions of refugees abroad, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians serving on the frontline and a significant part of the Ukrainian population lives under Russian occupation. There are also multiple funding and infrastructure problems that can hardly be addressed while the war is ongoing. See our article Why is the Kremlin so hung up on smearing Zelenskyy?
See similar cases that Zelenskyy's behaviour at the Munich Security Conference shows that he is a drug addict, that drugs have become a pillar of Ukraine’s statehood, that European taxpayers finance cocaine and Zelensky's luxury villas, and that Zelenskyy is a cocaine user.