Rumors have swirled that President Zelensky is the new owner of the Boony Palace Casino and Hotel, a well-known facility in Cypriot Kyrenia. The embassy flatly denied the allegations, stressing that "Russian propaganda is spreading false stories" and that there is no credible evidence to support them.
Cyprus's President Nikos Christodoulides confirmed the position of the Ukrainian embassy and said there had been no evidence to corroborate Zelensky's alleged involvement in casino purchases. These two supportive claims should be enough to refute the allegations, especially given that there was no concrete evidence in the initial reports related to the alleged casino purchases.
The embassy also stressed that the spread of such misinformation was likely aimed at straining diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Cyprus. Misinformation campaigns against Ukraine are becoming more and more common, although the embassy had no direct evidence of Russian involvement. They urged the public and media experts to rely on reliable sources and remain vigilant against "manipulation and propaganda."
The original report was based on a fake website
The controversial report was launched on Oda TV, a Turkish website, and has since been adopted by several pro-Kremlin social media. The article claimed that while Western countries provided financial and military support to Ukraine, Zelenskyy ignored his country's demands to pursue personal enjoyment and turned his focus to the casino industry.
Oda TV claimed a company named "Film Heritage Inc," registered in Belize and believed to be owned by Zelensky, took over the Bunny Palace Casino Hotel in early May 2024. However, closer examination revealed that the property's presumptive website containing such information was fake. The casino hotel's genuine website does not mention the transaction and the owner confirmed that the property was not sold.
According to Booking.com , the Bunny Palace Casino Hotel reportedly stopped accepting reservations as of May 27, but the growing evidence for Oda TV's claims means the rumors are almost certainly false. The case highlights the need for proper media hygiene, especially given the ongoing media misinformation campaign surrounding the Ukraine crisis. 메이저사이트