Fabricated CNN tweet shared to spread false claims about Zelenskyy and plans of 'mass immigration'

Context

A screenshot of a fake tweet by CNN, quoting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is viral on social media. It claims that Zelenskyy spoke about mass immigration. The tweet reads, "Ukrainian President Zelensky plans on using mass immigration to fix the country's demographics issues. 'We will become a new diverse and multicultural nation that will be the model state for the rest of Europe." 

On Twitter, the purported tweet was amplified by far-right activist and former U.S. Senate candidate Lauren Witzke, who wrote, "Zelenskyy is leading Ukranian Chrstian men to slaughter and then replacing them with immigrants." Such posts tie into the Great Replacement, a far-right conspiracy theory that claims that left-leaning Western or international elites are using immigration and other methods to "replace" white people with non-white populations. Believers in this racist and xenophobic conspiracy theory often say the "replacement" will lead to the end or even the genocide of white people.

However, CNN did not post this tweet, and it has been fabricated to spread a false claim.

In Fact

No such tweet is visible on either the live or archived pages of the official CNN Twitter account. On checking Zelenskyy's Twitter account, we found no remarks on his statement on immigrants or immigration. Similarly, we did not find any news report by a credible media outlet on Zelenskyy speaking about mass immigration. 

Further, the image of Zelenskyy shown in the viral tweet is a stock image. We found that CNN last used this image on March 2, in a fact check about claims that Zelenskyy demanded Americans send their sons and daughters to fight in the war in Ukraine.

Emily Kuhn, vice president of CNN communications, confirmed to AFP that the screenshot has been edited. "The image is fabricated and not a real post by CNN," Kuhn said. Logically Facts has also contacted CNN and Zelenskyy's office for comment, and this story will be updated if and when we receive a response.

The Verdict

There is no evidence to support that CNN posted this tweet quoting Zelenskyy, and CNN has also refuted the claim. It is a fabricated tweet. Therefore, we have marked this claim false.