The Center for Counteracting Disinformation has debunked a fake news story from Russian propaganda claiming that Zelensky purchased a villa in the Caribbean.

The Ukrainian Center for Counteracting Disinformation has refuted claims circulating in Russian media that on January 8, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky allegedly purchased a villa for €17 million on the private Caribbean island of Saint Barthélemy.

The information regarding the villa, which propagandists claim is being equipped with an underground bunker, has been labeled as a fabrication by Ukrainian authorities.

Russian fake news outlets asserted that the property was acquired through the Cypriot company Aldorante LTD, and that the transaction was conducted by Zelensky's "childhood friend" Svitlana Pishchanska, with whom he "grew up in the same yard."

No evidence or confirmation regarding this transaction has been provided.

Furthermore, no official documents or reliable sources have been cited to substantiate this claim.

Saint Barthélemy, also known as St. Barts, is an overseas territory of France in the Caribbean. The island is often referred to as the "billionaires' island" due to the villas of many influential individuals from around the globe.

In particular, it is home to the villas of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

Previously, a network of Russian websites masquerading as American newspapers launched a campaign employing artificial intelligence to spread fake news ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, including a fabricated story claiming that Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska used $4.8 million of taxpayer funds to purchase a luxury Bugatti.