Is the video of a Ukrainian TV reporter using cocaine live on air true?

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In May 2024, a fragment of a live broadcast from a Ukrainian TV channel circulated on the Internet, in which a reporter inhales white powder. We checked whether these shots are true.

The viral video lasts 13 seconds; its author captured a TV broadcasting a news program. On the left side of the screen is the presenter, who is sitting in the studio against the backdrop of the Ukrainian flag, on the right is his interlocutor, who, judging by the earpiece, works as a correspondent for the TV channel. Shortly after the viral video began, the man (perhaps thinking that the broadcast had ended) pours white powder onto the screen of his smartphone and inhales it. At the same time, in the upper right corner of the TV caught in the video is the logo of the Ukrainian channel 1+1.

This post began circulating on social media on May 16. It was published, in particular, by Telegram channels “Heavenly"(142,000 views), "Open Ukraine | Open Ukraine" (139,000) and "Coachman"(31,000). The video also caught the attention of users “VKontakte", Facebook, X, TikTok, Instagram And YouTube.

At first glance, the video raises a number of questions. Firstly, for some reason, during a live broadcast, the microphone in front of the correspondent is held by his colleague, and not by himself, as this usually done during similar reports. Another suspicious detail is that the man’s hand behind the scenes does not move throughout the entire video, and even at the moment when the broadcast supposedly ended and the man began to inhale the drug.

Using Google's reverse image search service, "Verified" determined that the basis for the viral video was a fragment of the 24-hour information marathon "United News", namely - ether dated February 17, 2024. This marathon in the first days of the full-scale Russian invasion together launched Ukrainian TV channels 1+1, ICTV, “First”, “Ukraine”, “Inter” and “Rada”. The man on the left is Inter presenter Alexander Vasilchenko. His interlocutor was actually the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmitry Kuleba, who at that moment was at the Munich Security Conference. It is obvious that the video on the right side of the screen, where the man is using drugs, was inserted on top of the original image using a video editor. "Verified" was unable to find the original source of this video; it may have been filmed specifically to create a fake video.

That interview with Kuleba during the marathon back in February attracted special attention from the media and social network users. During inclusion There were communication problems from Munich, and the minister thought that the broadcast had been interrupted. “That’s it, are we out?” — the head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified and, having received a positive response from the journalist behind the scenes, lit a cigarette. The presenter in the studio immediately announced that they were still on the air, after which the broadcast from Munich ended. Then many people wrote about the curiosity Ukrainian And Russian Media.

The next day this fragment of the marathon got infected in pro-Russian Telegram-channels. Bloggers claimed that Kuleba lit not an ordinary cigarette, but a cigarette with marijuana, thereby allegedly supporting the recently adopted bill in Ukraine on “legalizing drug use.” The statement was based solely on the appearance of the tobacco product, which reminded the authors of Telegram channels of a rolled-up cigarette with marijuana. It is hardly possible to accurately determine the type of cigarette only by its appearance, and in Germany, where Kuleba was during the February inclusion, recreational cannabis allowed only from April 1. Moreover, statements about the “legalization of drug use” in Ukraine incorrect — On February 13, the country’s President Vladimir Zelensky signed a law legalizing only medical cannabis, which is used, for example, to alleviate post-traumatic personality disorder syndromes and cancer. The current version of the Criminal Code of Ukraine prohibits production, storage and purchase of narcotic substances, as well as their public use.

A video showing a video on TV, where Kuleba is replaced by an unknown man inhaling powder, was first published by the Telegram channel “Open Ukraine | Open Ukraine» May 16, 2024 at 05:40 Moscow time. The narrative about the supposedly widespread use of drugs in Ukraine, especially among the country’s leadership and military, is often used by pro-Kremlin resources. “Checked” more than once published refutations fakes on this topic.

Thus, the video in which a Ukrainian TV correspondent allegedly uses cocaine live is a fake. The fragment is taken from the February interview of Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba to the Ukrainian news marathon “United News”. At the same time, a video with an unknown man was superimposed on top of the footage of the diplomat, possibly filmed by the authors of the fake.

Correction dated 02/19/2025: The original analysis said that the “United News” marathon was jointly launched by Ukrainian TV channels 1+1, ICTV, “First”, “We are Ukraine”, “Inter” and “Rada”. In fact, instead of the “We are Ukraine” TV channel, the “Ukraine” TV channel initially participated in the marathon, which stopped its existence in July 2022. And only on November 8, 2022 for the telethon joined channel “We are Ukraine”, which was created part of the team of the closed TV channel. The previous version of the analysis can be found at link.

Cover photo: Telegram

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