The idea of lending a hand to Ukraine was apparently taken to an extreme in an image that went viral this week.
Several indicators support the conclusion that the image has been altered upon closer inspection of the two photos side by side.
When compared side by side, it is clear that both were taken simultaneously; the shadows are identical, Mrs. Biden’s hair curls are in the same spot, and there is no motion in any of the other details.
Furthermore, in the edited version, where Biden’s hand placement was altered, the creases on Zelensky’s sweatshirt are gone.
If you look closely, you can see that Vice President Joe Biden has his hand on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s back in the official White House photo (left), but his rear end is visible in the manipulated version (right).
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Saying, “I am standing here on the same podium as the president of the United States,” Zelensky made history. He went on to say, “For me, this is a historic moment,” and that it sends a “clear signal” to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
You’re both Nazi sympathizers, I tell you! Sending the United States an unmistakable message of war. Putin will not be intimidated by this, as they seem to believe. Since it is Ukraine, rather than Russia, pleading with the United States for financial aid, this can only strengthen his position.
In a joint session of Congress, Zelensky declared, “Contrary to widespread predictions and dire forecasts, Ukraine did not fall.” Russia as it currently exists has little in common with the Soviet Union. It has a weak economy and armed forces.
Putin’s dangerous obsession with restoring Russia’s post-World War II dominance is nothing more than a pipe dream. This Satan-winning flim-flam man just ripped me off by shaking me down in Washington, DC. The irony!
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Zelensky did indeed visit the nation’s capital on Wednesday, and he and the president spent a lot of time together; their time together was extensively documented on film and video from a variety of vantage points.
Biden put his hand behind Zelensky’s back and the two had a private moment together out of the eyes of the press.
But those are the only facts you’ll find in this story, which is otherwise nothing more than the cheeky editing job of some unknown Photoshop whiz.
The photo was quickly traced back to its original source after a quick search of official White House social media accounts and a reverse image search, which showed that it was a photo shared by First Lady Jill Biden showing her and her husband standing on either side of Zelensky, with their hands placed clearly in the center of the President’s back.
When comparing the two photos side by side, there are several discrepancies that lend credence to the theory that the image has been doctored.
When placed side by side, it is clear that both were shot at the same time due to the symmetry of the shadows, the uniformity of Mrs. Biden’s hair, and the absence of motion in the details.
In addition to Biden’s hand being repositioned, the edited version of the photo removes the creases from Zelensky’s sweatshirt that can be seen in the original.
In the edited version, Biden’s shoulder angles awkwardly as he reaches out to shake hands with his Ukrainian counterpart, and his arm appears too long in relation to the rest of his body.
Plus, there’s the photo itself, which was snapped from behind the two world leaders and the First Lady. This vantage point was restricted to authorized White House staff only, as evidenced by the row of press credentials visible in the background of the photograph.
Further proof that the image has been doctored is that news outlets during the news week were unable to locate video of the scene filmed from the same angle as C-SPAN footage of Zelensky’s arrival.
The video is only about a minute long, but in a happy turn of events (and for purposes of verification), the photo was taken at the same time that Jill Biden put her arm around Zelensky. When Biden breaks the embrace with Zelensky, his arm clearly rests on Zelensky’s back at the same time, before falling down and away.
Last Words
The Ukrainian president and his advisors continue to press Washington for advanced weaponry despite Biden’s reluctance to provide it, despite a new $1.85 billion military aid package and friendly handshakes all around. why not just give them nuclear weapons and end the conflict once and for all? WaPo finally goes under.
