According to the distributors of this fake news, the money was transferred to the accounts in 2025, but V. Zelensky’s parents allegedly could not explain the origin of such a large sum. Nevertheless, it is claimed that they were released shortly after the interrogation.
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To substantiate these claims, a story imitating a “Euronews” video is being circulated. It also shows a supposed screenshot of a “Ukrainska Pravda” publication.
However, neither the video story nor the information presented in it is authentic. Neither “Euronews” nor the publication it allegedly relies on – “Ukrainska Pravda” – has reported on a search of V. Zelensky’s parents’ home or their detention.
No such reports could be found when searching by main keywords on the websites of both media outlets.
NABU or other Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have also not announced such an investigation.
As noted by fact-checkers from the “StopFake” organization, the video is compiled from unrelated shots, and the text is voiced by artificial intelligence. This is also evidenced by obvious pronunciation errors: Ukrainian place names and surnames, such as Kryvyi Rih and Kyrylo Budanov, are pronounced incorrectly.
What is known about V. Zelensky’s parents?
V. Zelensky is the only son of Oleksandr and Ryma Zelensky. The president’s parents spent most of their lives in Kryvyi Rih, where they worked as specialists in technical and academic fields.
Oleksandr Zelensky is a Doctor of Technical Sciences, a professor. He completed studies in cybernetics and computer engineering, defended his dissertation, published scientific works, and for almost three decades headed the Department of Cybernetics and Computer Engineering at Kryvyi Rih State University. For some time, he also worked in Mongolia, where he developed an automated mining management system.
Ryma Zelenska is a physicist and engineer by education. For some time, she worked as a teacher, and later for about 40 years as a process engineer. In 2019, it was reported that her monthly pension amounted to approximately 3325 hryvnias, or about 71 euros at the then-current exchange rate. The woman told journalists that her income was sufficient and she was not complaining about her life.
In public narratives, V. Zelensky’s parents are described as living modestly and avoiding publicity. They still live in a four-room apartment in a Soviet-era apartment building in Kryvyi Rih, with a simple interior devoid of luxury signs. The parents also emphasize that they do not want special privileges just because their son became president.
Exact data on Oleksandr Zelensky’s salary or pension is not publicly available. However, his professional biography and publicly described family living conditions do not support the image of an extremely wealthy presidential family created in propaganda reports.
The only scandal related to the family that received wider attention was related to a scholarship.
In 2020, the Ministry of Education of Ukraine submitted a proposal to the Government to consider granting Oleksandr Zelensky a lifelong state scholarship “for outstanding merits in the field of higher education.” Due to public resonance, the initiative was withdrawn, and the president’s father himself stated that he did not need such support.
In September 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine nevertheless awarded a lifelong scholarship to Oleksandr Zelensky, along with more than 118 other scientists. This time, the decision was made according to the Government’s, not the presidential, procedure. The payment amount is about 8 thousand hryvnias per month.
There is no public data indicating that the parents of the Ukrainian president own significant assets or financial holdings.
Not the first time
Zelensky’s parents are not for the first time becoming targets of fake news creators. Previously, a fabricated story was circulated, claiming that Oleksandr and Ryma Zelensky obtained Israeli citizenship, moved to that country, and purchased a luxurious, approximately 950 sq. meter house in the Rishpon settlement for 8 million US dollars.
The fake news was supplemented with fabricated details about a swimming pool, service staff, armored cars, and protection provided by former UK special forces soldiers. It was also claimed that Ukrainian and Russian oligarchs became neighbors of the president’s parents.
These claims were first published by a Kremlin-friendly “Telegram” channel and later picked up by Russian media without any evidence. Information about V. Zelensky’s parents allegedly being granted Israeli citizenship was denied by the then-Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel, Yevhen Korniychuk.
No reliable data was provided to suggest that the president’s parents had purchased such real estate or acquired Israeli citizenship.
15min verdict: false.
Claims that Ukrainian law enforcement searched the home of Volodymyr Zelensky’s parents, found 11 million US dollars in their accounts, and that the couple was interrogated for alleged tax evasion, are fabricated.
Neither NABU nor other Ukrainian law enforcement agencies reported such an investigation. The information was also not published by “Euronews” and “Ukrainska Pravda” mentioned in the video. The circulated story only imitates “Euronews” content: it is compiled from unrelated shots, voiced by artificial intelligence, and the alleged “Ukrainska Pravda” publication is fake.
There is also no reliable public data indicating that Zelensky’s parents own assets worth millions or significant financial holdings. This is another variation of previously circulated fake news about their alleged homes in Israel, foreign citizenship, and luxurious life.
The publication was prepared by 15min in cooperation with “Meta”, which aims to stop the spread of misleading news on the social network. More about the program and its rules – here
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