Fake BBC video and front pages question whereabouts of Ukraine’s First Lady
Nothing to support the claim that she has fled Ukraine and has taken refuge in another European country
CLAIM
Images of British newspaper front pages and a video with the BBC logo and design have been widely shared appearing to report that the whereabouts of Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska is unknown and that she had been planning to flee Ukraine.
BACKGROUND
Earlier this month, a video began circulating on social media platforms with the BBC logo and design, purporting to show a report that Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska’s whereabouts were unknown after “a personal group of SBU handlers” learnt of her plans to escape Ukraine.
The video claimed Zelenska had been planning her escape for the previous six months and had arranged with a European country to grant her political asylum.
It went on to claim that she had planned to escape due to the “aggravated relationship” with her husband, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
On April 9, the same account that previously published the video also shared what appeared to be front pages from UK newspapers repeating the claims that Zelenska had disappeared and was possibly “hiding” in another European country.
METHOD
Using keyword searches “Olena Zelenska” and “Yelena Zelenska”, the earliest versions of the video being shared on X and Facebook were found on April 4.
They were shared by a number of accounts on this date. The X account @peacemaket71 was the first account located to have shared the video. The account describes itself as Media & News Company in its profile but does not link to any website. It has over 41,000 followers and posts regularly about the war in Ukraine — mainly using a sympathetic tone towards Russia.
There is no evidence that the BBC ever published this video. While the video has had community notes attached to it pointing to the fact that this is not an authentic BBC video and the account has published anti-Ukraine disinformation before, it continues to circulate on X as well as Facebook.
An internet search of the headline about Zelenska’s disappearance appearing to have been published by The Sun, Western Mail and The Scotsman also did not return any results.
The website of the President of Ukraine last published a video featuring Zelenska on April 4. The website publishes regular video messages by the First Lady as well as other news about her activities. The video published on April 4 was headlined: “Ukrainian Audio Guide Launched at the Hamburger Kunsthalle”.
That video has German subtitles. In it, Zelenska referenced a string of recent attacks on Ukraine and Kyiv. While this is quite non-specific, on March 23, Reuters reported a drone strike that killed three people in Kyiv. Deadly strikes have also intensified in other parts of Ukraine in recent weeks.
The previous day, on April 3 — a day before the forged BBC report began circulating — Zelenska met with the Swiss Federal Council Delegate for Ukraine Jacques Gerber, according to the Ukrainian president’s website. It also published photos of the meeting.
These and other photos of the meeting were also shared on Zelenska’s official Facebook page and then shared by the Facebook page of the Embassy of Switzerland.
RATING
Olena Zelenska’s whereabouts were not unknown at the time the forged BBC video was published and there is nothing to support the claim that she has fled Ukraine and has taken refuge in another European country.
SOURCES
X (formerly Twitter). (2025). Available at: @peacemaket71 [Accessed 10 April 2025].
X (formerly Twitter). (2025). Available at: @peacemaket71 [Accessed 10 April 2025].
Official website of the President of Ukraine. (2025). President’s wife news — Official web site of the President of Ukraine. [online] [Accessed 10 Apr. 2025].
Official website of the President of Ukraine. (2025). Implementing the School Nutrition Reform: Olena Zelenska Meets with the Swiss Federal Council Delegate for Ukraine — Official website of the President of Ukraine. [online] [Accessed 10 Apr. 2025].
Facebook (2025). Available at: Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine [Accessed 10 April 2025].
Facebook (2025). Available at: Olena Zelenska [Accessed 10 April 2025].