Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been the target of numerous baseless accusations, often seen as part of propaganda efforts to tarnish his reputation. Since the onset of the war in Ukraine, there have been claims suggesting that he and his wife have acquired an extensive and luxurious property portfolio globally.
Previously, Newsweek delved into allegations that Zelensky had purchased several expensive properties, including a $20 million mansion in Florida, a $5.5 million mansion with an infinity pool, and yachts valued at $48 million and $75 million. These claims were thoroughly investigated and debunked. Despite this, a new rumour has emerged this week, asserting that the Ukrainian president has bought a casino in Southern Cyprus worth more than $100 million.
Posts circulating on X (formerly Twitter) allege that Zelensky owns this multimillion-dollar casino. One such post by user @aussiecossack, which has garnered 3.1 million views since June 3, claimed, “BOMBSHELL ALLEGATIONS: Zelensky spent $200 MILLION to buy himself a 5 star casino resort on the beaches of Southern Cyprus through his company ‘Film Heritage Inc.'”
This post included a video purporting that Zelensky, via his firm Film Heritage Inc., acquired the Vuni Palace Hotel in Kyrenia, Northern Southern Cyprus. Another post by user @UltraDane on June 5 echoed this sentiment, stating: “Who would have guessed Zelensky (our 2nd greatest ally) would buy the largest casino in Europe, not me. Since Ukraine itself has ZERO money to pay Zelensky anything, and since he had nothing when he started, and since he’s bought mansions worldwide, drives $500,000 cars, mysteriously all the people around him have become filthy rich, where are all of his and their sudden riches coming from?”
This post included a link to a German article on the website News Front, with a headline translated to “Zelensky bought the largest casino in Europe.” The subheading reported, “The largest hotel-casino Vuni Palace was acquired by a company owned by Volodymyr Zelensky.
However, there is no credible evidence supporting the claim that Zelensky purchased this casino. A spokesperson for the hotel told the Southern Cyprus Mail, a local newspaper, that the hotel is owned by the Oscar Group of Companies, and Zelensky is not one of its shareholders. Additionally, the Ukrainian Embassy in Southern Cyprus informed the outlet that the rumour was “fake information,” intended to discredit Ukraine and its leadership, and emphasized that there was “no evidence” behind it.
A statement released by the Embassy of Ukraine in Southern Cyprus, published on In-Cyprus.com, further clarified: “Russian propaganda spreads a fake story that the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has allegedly become the owner of one of the largest casinos in Europe, which is located in Southern Cyprus. However, the publication provides no evidence to support its claim. The information itself is false.”
This incident underscores the persistent spread of misinformation and the need for thorough fact-checking to prevent the proliferation of false narratives.
