Video of Zelenskyy Drinking Tea With Soldiers Was Before the Invasion
The Claim
The clip shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy drinking coffee and chatting with his fellow Kyiv defenders on Feb. 26, 2022, after the Russian invasion.
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Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar has investigated the claim and found it to be misleading.
The video of Zelenskyy drinking tea with Ukrainian soldiers was not from Feb. 26, 2022.
The footage was taken before the Russian invasion. According to the BBC, the clip was taken during the president's visit to frontline soldiers to support Ukrainian troops.
President Zelenskyy also posted some photos from his visit to frontline soldiers on his verified Instagram account before Russia invaded Ukraine.
An article, in the Daily Mail, included screenshots from the video with the caption: “A video showed Zelensky in his military tent drinking coffee with his men, he coordinated the defense of Kyiv.” The article was published online on February 25, 2022.
It is worth noting that an active Telegram account in the President's name was sending out messages urging Ukrainian soldiers to lay down their weapons and end the war. It turned out to be a fake account. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has chosen to send his messages and make public statements through his verified social media accounts.
