The claim

A Facebook post and a blog article falsely claim that a foundation founded by Olena Selenska is placing war children with pedophiles in Europe.

Our conclusion

The allegations against the Ukrainian first lady's foundation are based on unproven claims and misinformation. There is no solid evidence to support the allegations.

Disinformation and false reports find fertile ground, especially in times of conflict and uncertainty. The allegations against the foundation of Olena Selenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, show how quickly unfounded allegations can spread on social networks. Olena Selenska founded the foundation in September 2022 with the aim of helping children affected by the war. However, rumors recently circulated that the foundation was involved in child trafficking and pedophilia. Such claims are not only baseless but also dangerous because they undermine trust in humanitarian organizations and further polarize society.

What is it actually about?

At the center of the controversy is a Facebook post and a blog article that claim, without any evidence, that the foundation founded by Olena Selenska would bring war children from Ukraine to Germany, Great Britain and France to give them to pedophiles.

Screenshot on Facebook of the false claim
Screenshot on Facebook of the false claim

The source of these accusations is a masked man who claims to work for the foundation archived here There is no credible evidence or verifiable facts to support these claims.

Our assessment of the allegations against the foundation

On closer inspection, the allegations against the foundation turn out to be unfounded. The story seems to have emerged out of nowhere, with dubious origins and a clear intention to portray the foundation in a bad light. An important indication of the dubiousness of the claims is the fact that the text of the Facebook post and the blog article contain inaccurately copied translations, indicating a rapid and inaccurate spread of the story.

The facts

A detailed investigation into the allegations shows that the evidence is either fake or completely baseless. The alleged insider could not be verified and the allegations are largely based on a video that violates YouTube's policies. Furthermore, there is no other evidence to support the claims. The foundation and its activities are transparent and aim to help children in need, not endanger them.

Questions and answers:

Question 1: Who is behind the false accusations against Olena Selenska's foundation?
Answer 1: The false accusations come from an unknown masked man whose claims are not supported by any evidence.

Question 2: What do the incorrect translations in the Facebook post and the blog article mean?
Answer 2: They suggest that the story may have been spread hastily and without careful fact-checking.

Question 3: Have similar false claims been uncovered in other contexts?
Answer 3: Yes, similar unfounded allegations have been made and debunked against celebrities and organizations.

Question 4: Why are such false accusations particularly dangerous in times of war?
Answer 4: They can undermine trust in important humanitarian aid operations and further divide society.

Question 5: What can individuals do to protect themselves from disinformation?
Answer 5: Remain critical, check sources and obtain information from reliable, reputable media.

Conclusion

The allegations against the Ukrainian first lady's foundation are based on unproven claims and show how disinformation is used to discredit organizations. Especially in times of conflict, when disinformation can have far-reaching consequences, it is important to remain critical and obtain information from reliable sources.

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Source: dpa fact checking

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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )