Volodymyr Zelenskyy deepfake video — Oct 2026

A compilation video circulating on social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram falsely claims to show Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy performing various dance routines. While the video includes one genuine clip from the President's past career as a comic actor, the other segments utilize digital manipulation to superimpose his likeness onto professional dancers.

What happened

The compilation features three distinct clips, two of which have been identified as deepfakes. The first segment shows a man in a sparkly gold outfit; investigation revealed this is actually Argentinian dancer Pablo Acosta, who originally posted the footage in June 2023. The third clip, which depicts a person belly dancing in a red outfit, was traced back to an unidentified dancer whose video was shared on Instagram in February 2022.

In both instances, the President's face was superimposed onto the original footage. The videos exhibit common indicators of digital alteration, including visual glitches that become apparent when the footage is slowed down. Furthermore, Meta’s AI detection tools have flagged versions of these clips as containing AI signatures. The creators of the compilation employed blurring techniques, a common method used to obscure visual artifacts and make edited content appear more authentic to viewers. The second clip in the compilation is genuine, featuring President Zelenskyy in a 2014 parody of a Ukrainian boy band music video from his time as a comic actor.