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Klitschko quote on Ukrainians: Did he really say these words?
🇱🇹 Lithuania /Culture & Society

Klitschko quote on Ukrainians: Did he really say these words?

From Delfi · () Lithuanian

Translated from Lithuanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A photo circulating online attributes a quote to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, stating "If a person once became Ukrainian, they can no longer become human again."
  • Fact-checking by "Melo detektorius" (Lie Detector) found the quote to be false, originating from Russian bloggers.
  • The false quote aims to dehumanize Ukrainians and exploits Klitschko's occasional verbal missteps.

A fabricated quote attributed to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, claiming "If a person once became Ukrainian, they can no longer become human again," is circulating online. Fact-checkers at "Melo detektorius" have debunked the statement, identifying it as Russian-originated disinformation. The false quote appears in a manipulated image featuring Klitschko, designed to dehumanize Ukrainians. This tactic exploits the mayor's public speaking style, which has sometimes included verbal slips or paradoxical phrasing. Investigations found no video, audio, or credible media reports supporting the claim that Klitschko ever made such a statement. The origin of the disinformation has been traced to a propagandistic text on a Russian website, which mocked the mayor and propagated the fabricated quote, contributing to its spread on social media and further denigrating both Klitschko and the Ukrainian people.

If a person once became Ukrainian, they can no longer become human again.

— Vitali KlitschkoThis is the fabricated quote attributed to the Kyiv mayor that is circulating online.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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