Original article (in Serbian) was published on 25/12/2023; Author: Teodora Koledin
The article from the web portal Politika, published in early December, erroneously reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had obtained American citizenship and was planning to leave Ukraine. This claim was supported by an image purporting to be Zelensky’s naturalization certificate. Following Politika’s publication, similar reports appeared on Pravda, Srbin.info, and the Montenegrin portal Borba.
The origin of this misinformation traces back to The DC Weekly, a Washington-based media outlet. On November 29, they published an article claiming an anonymous US Secret Service agent revealed plans for Zelensky’s relocation to the United States. The article included speculations about a luxurious estate on the Atlantic coast being arranged for Zelensky and his family, with American taxpayers allegedly bearing the cost of their accommodation, private security, transportation, and personal assistance.
The article was credited to Jessica Devlin, presented as a “reputable and highly regarded journalist,” accompanied by her photograph and a detailed biography. However, a reverse image search revealed that the photograph is actually of Judy Batalion, a New York-based writer. Additionally, there appears to be no verifiable information available about Jessica Devlin’s journalistic career, casting further doubt on the credibility of the original report.
The image of the purported naturalization certificate of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which appeared in The DC Weekly and was later republished by Politika, raises several concerns about its authenticity. According to the specifications laid out by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), an authentic naturalization certificate should include specific information.
One of the primary inconsistencies in the image is the absence of Zelensky’s full name, including his middle name, “Oleksandrovich,” which should be present on an authentic document. Additionally, the naturalization certificate should feature the applicant’s signature, confirming the truthfulness of the provided information and the authenticity of the attached photo. The statement, “I confirm that the given description is true and that my face is on the attached photo,” typically located in the upper section of the certificate, requires the applicant’s signature for the document to be considered valid. This essential signature is missing from the document in
Furthermore, the photograph of Zelensky on the certificate appears to be a cropped and enlarged image with a modified background. This picture seems to be sourced from the official website of the Ukrainian president. The ease of accessing official templates for such documents and modifying them at one’s discretion also adds to the suspicions regarding the image’s legitimacy.question.
The narrative about “an estate with a luxury house in one of the richest parts of Florida”, reported by Politika, also turned out to be incorrect. Photos of the allegedly already-purchased luxury property circulated both in the traditional media and on social networks. Journalists from France24 media outlet contacted the agency responsible for the property listed on their website, which confirmed that the said villa had not been sold at the time the information was published. This revelation effectively counters the claims that the property had been bought for President Zelensky, casting doubt on the credibility of the initial report.