DISINFO: Zelenskyy is a clown created by the Americans to be a dagger in Russia's side
SUMMARY
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is closer to a clown than a statesman. He is a man created by the Americans to be a dagger in the Russian side.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives aimed to undermine the legitimacy of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and portray Ukraine as a puppet state used as a front in a proxy war against Russia. This follows the classic pro-Kremlin narrative about Lost sovereignty.
The ultimate goal of this claim is to advance a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative portraying Ukraine as a US puppet, and Ukraine’s defence as a proxy war against Russia, aiming to deflect Moscow’s responsibility for its unprovoked and full-scale invasion against its neighbour.
Ukraine is a democracy, where Ukrainian citizens elect their president in competitive elections every 5 years. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was elected in 2019, in a presidential election that was competitive and held with respect for fundamental freedoms, according to the OSCE.
See similar disinformation cases that Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a Western puppet, that the US is hiding behind Zelenskyy's victory plan, that Kolomoisky's arrest proves Zelenskyy serves US interests, that Zelenskyy may use a dirty bomb if the US asks him to do so, that Zelenskyy is a marionette puppet in the hands of the West, and that Zelenskyy, Poroshenko, brought to power by US-sponsored coups.