Is Video Showing Zelensky’s Belly Dance Performance?

In late September 2024, video radiate on social media, allegedly showing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy belly dancing. “Zelensky is doing everything he can to get the last bit of money before Trump gets elected,” one X-user wrote with subtitles video (archived), has reached over 3 million views.

(X user @TaraBull808)

The video Moreover radiate With an X in late February 2024 post “I can’t believe this guy just walked away with billions of our tax dollars,” wrote another X user with subtitles Video from February 2024: “What happens when we give Zelensky more and more money every time?”

Another X post featuring the video shared in 2023 To read“Zelenskiy has come a long way from being an entertainer and dancer to a global celebrity supported by the military-industrial complex at the expense of billions of dollars in the name of the American people.”

Google And Yandex (A Russian search engine) reverse image search results showed that the video was shared by various Russian-language accounts. (Ukraine and Russia have been at war since Russian forces invaded the country in February 2022.)

(X user @unhealthytruth)

But this is not a real video of Volodymyr Zelenskyy doing belly dancing. The original video is It was published On June 1, 2023, it showcased Argentinian dancer Pablo Acosta.

Comparing the “Zelenskyy” video to the video posted on the @pabloacostabellydance Instagram account, it turns out that the viral footage was digitally edited to superimpose Zelenskyy’s face onto Acosta’s body. Therefore, we are rating this video as fake.

(User X @unhealthytruth and Instagram account @pabloacostabellydance)

Although the video in question shows an Argentinean belly dancing, not Zelenskyy, footage of the Ukrainian president dancing can be found online. Zelenskyy, before he became president Ukrainian presidentwas an actor and comedian and in 2006 to win ” Ukrainian versionDancing with the Stars,” a dance competition television series.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlJywp7E3Gw

This is not the first time we have checked the authenticity of deepfake images and videos related to Zelenskiy or the Ukrainian War.

A poorly made deepfake video Zelenskyy’s call for civilians to lay down their arms against the Russian military was widely shared on social media. That same month, a deepfake video Russian President Vladimir Putin is shown allegedly declaring the end of Russia’s war with Ukraine. If you want to learn more about deepfakes and how to spot them, check out our 2021 collection digitally edited videos.

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