Debunked: Russian Claims of Zelenskyy’s €17M Caribbean Villa and Underground Bunker

The Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation debunked claims circulating in Russian media that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy purchased a €17 million villa on the exclusive Caribbean island of St. Barthelemy on January 8.

The villa, rumored to feature an underground bunker, was labeled a fabrication by Ukrainian authorities.

Russian propagandists alleged that the property was purchased through the Cypriot company Aldorante LTD, but no evidence or confirmation of this transaction has been provided.

Additionally, no official documents or credible sources were cited to substantiate the claim.

Saint Barthélemy also known as St. Barts is an overseas collectivity of France in the Caribbean. The island is often called a ‘billionaire’s island’ because of the villas of many influential people from all around the world.

Earlier, a network of websites based in Russia masking as US newspapers launched an AI-enhanced campaign to spread fake news stories ahead of the upcoming American presidential election, involving a fabricated story alleging that Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, used $4.8 million in US taxpayer funds to purchase a Bugatti luxury car.