A known Russian disinformation operation has once again targeted Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska, spreading false claims that she attempted to flee to Europe amid a "strained relationship" with her husband Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
There is no truth behind these claims, and there are signs they're part of a coordinated, Moscow-backed disinformation operation.
A fake video report bearing the logo of the BBC and detailing Zelenska's alleged failed escape surfaced on X and Telegram earlier this week and has since been amplified on TikTok and Facebook.
The voiceover in the clip falsely claims Zelenska had been planning to escape to an unnamed Europe country for "six months" and is being held by Ukraine's security services after her plans were foiled.
The clip has been doctored to mimic the look and feel of the BBC.
Shayan Sardarizadeh, a senior journalist for the BBC's fact-checking service, said in a statement on X that the "BBC never published this video clip."
He added that the manipulated video was the work of "a well-known Russian disinformation operation" that uses the "logo and branding of major news outlets to publish fake videos that disparage Ukraine."
Euroverify has in the past detected similar fraudulent videos bearing the Euronews logo.
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