A deep-fake video depicting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy engaging in belly dancing while wearing a red costume has circulated widely online. However, an investigation by the India TV Fact Check team has revealed that the video is a manipulated creation, and the original footage features an unidentified man dancing. Before entering politics, President Zelenskyy pursued a career as an entertainer, participating in movies and dance shows, including the Ukrainian version of Dancing With The Stars.
The deceptive video, accompanied by a caption critiquing democracy and labelling Zelenskyy as an oligarch-backed "clown," has triggered discussions on the potential manipulation of leaders through marketing strategies. However, the India TV Fact Check team conducted a thorough analysis and discovered that the video was a product of deepfake technology, intended to mislead viewers.
In the investigation, the Fact Check team utilised a reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video on Google. This led them to a YouTube video uploaded on December 1, 2020, with visuals resembling the manipulated footage. The Russian-captioned video, spanning from 0:00 to 0:16, showcased an unidentified man dancing—clearly distinct from President Zelenskyy.
A more extended version of the video was also identified on Instagram, shared on February 7, 2022, by the account @gamgam.tv. Despite efforts, the Fact Check team couldn't independently verify the exact time and...
Rylan Clark has issued a statement after his bizarre outburst on This Morning about immigration, an outburst which has since been widely debunked. Clark, widely known for his stint on X-Factor and...