In late March 2025, a video circulated on X alleging that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was displaying a stolen Paul Cézanne painting, Nature morte aux cerises (Still Life with Cherries), in his office. The claim quickly gained traction among pro-Kremlin accounts, but a closer look reveals it is entirely fabricated.
The Fabricated Video
The video purports to be a BBC report, but the voiceover is generated by artificial intelligence, and visual elements—including parts of the Ukrainian presidential website—have been digitally altered. When contacted by Euronews' fact-checking team, the Ukrainian presidency denied the allegation, stating that the stolen painting has never hung in the office.
It is true that Still Life with Cherries was among three works stolen on the night of 22–23 March from the Magnani Rocca Foundation near Parma, Italy, with a total estimated value of €9–10 million. However, there is no evidence linking any of the stolen pieces to Ukraine or to Zelenskyy personally.
The Real Artwork
The manipulated footage is based on an interview recorded three months earlier by the Associated Press. Comparing the original and altered versions reveals a key discrepancy: in the authentic footage, the painting behind Zelenskyy is different. Ukrainian artist Andrii Chebotaru confirmed to Euronews that both paintings visible in the office at the time of the interview were his own work.
“I am a landscape painter, and landscape has been the focus of my work throughout my life. Both paintings that were displayed in the office are works created in a Post-Impressionist direction of painting, developed through my travels.”
The real painting on Zelenskyy's right depicts Mount Demerdzhi in Crimea—Chebotaru's home region. “This painting on the right was created before the occupation of Crimea, where I am originally from. It was painted near Mount Demerdzhi, close to the city of Alushta,” he said. Some of his works were later given to Zelenskyy as gifts by friends, not purchased directly from him.
A Coordinated Disinformation Campaign
The video has been linked to a pro-Kremlin disinformation operation known as “Matryoshka,” which relies on coordinated accounts and manipulated media to amplify misleading narratives. This is not an isolated incident; similar tactics have been used to spread false claims about Zelenskyy, such as AI-generated images linking him to Jeffrey Epstein. The goal is to undermine trust in Ukraine's leadership and distract from the ongoing war.
As European Pulse has reported, Zelenskyy continues to push for full EU integration, recently rejecting symbolic membership and demanding concrete steps. Such disinformation campaigns aim to weaken his credibility at a critical time.
The Cézanne theft remains under investigation by Italian authorities, but the painting has not been recovered. The false link to Zelenskyy is a clear example of how digital manipulation can be weaponized to spread confusion and sow discord across Europe.
