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A website founded by a former US Marine who now lives in Russia has fuelled a rumour that Volodymyr Zelensky purchased two luxury yachts with American aid money. <\/b><\/p>\n
Despite the false claim, the disinformation plot was successful. It took off online and was echoed by members of the US Congress making crucial decisions about military spending.<\/p>\n
It was an incredible assertion – using two advisers as proxies, Mr Zelensky paid $75m (\u00a359m) for two yachts.<\/p>\n
But not only has the Ukrainian government flatly denied the story, the two ships in question have not even been sold.<\/p>\n
Despite being false, the story reached members of the US Congress, where leaders say any decision on further aid to Ukraine will be delayed until next year.<\/p>\n
Some are vehemently opposed to further support. <\/p>\n
On X, formerly Twitter, Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said: “Anyone who votes to fund Ukraine is funding the most corrupt money scheme of any foreign war in our country’s history.” <\/p>\n
She linked to a story containing the yacht rumour.<\/p>\n
Tom Tillis, a Republican Senator and a supporter of military aid to Ukraine, spoke to CNN shortly after senators held a closed-door meeting with Mr Zelensky last week.<\/p>\n
“I think the notion of corruption came up because some have said we can’t do it, because people will buy yachts with the money,” Mr Tillis said. “[Mr Zelensky] disabused people of those notions.” <\/p>\n
Mr Tillis has butted heads with another Republican Senator, J D Vance, who has also mentioned Mr Zelensky and ships in the same breath. <\/p>\n
While discussing budget priorities on a podcast hosted by former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon, Mr Vance said: “There are people who would cut Social Security, throw our grandparents into poverty, why? So that one of Zelensky’s ministers can buy a bigger yacht?”<\/p>\n
Although the yacht rumour is false, the BBC has discovered the story was given a major boost by a Russia-linked website that pretends to be located in Washington.<\/p>\n
It is, researchers say, a “likely purpose-built tool for narrative laundering with links to the Russian government”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n