The Sun never released any such video; propagandists spliced together genuine footage with a fabricated voiceover to create the clip. Nor did Charlie Hebdo publish an issue dated November 13 — the magazine’s latest real edition, from November 12, focuses on an entirely different subject.
A video circulating online, branded with the logo of the British tabloid The Sun, alleges that employees of a Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center (TRC) demanded $100,000 from Angelina Jolie in exchange for releasing her bodyguard, who was supposedly taken into custody at the office.
The posts further allege that The Sun supposedly obtained this information from employees of the Legacy of War Foundation, who accompanied the actress during her trip to Kherson and Mykolaiv.
In reality, the claim is entirely fabricated — neither The Sun, nor the Legacy of War Foundation, nor any official channel associated with the actress published anything of the sort.
To begin with, The Sun never posted any video on its platforms alleging that TRC employees tried to extort money from Jolie. No reputable outlet has reported such a “ransom,” and neither Jolie’s official accounts nor those of the Legacy of War Foundation make any mention of the incident.
Further review shows the fabricators simply repurposed a legitimate The Sun segment about a routine check of Jolie’s bodyguard — lifting individual shots and photos, then stitching them into a doctored clip with a fabricated voiceover and invented claims.
According to the Osavul project, the video first surfaced on November 12 on the pro-Kremlin Telegram channel БайБайден, before ricocheting across both Russian- and English-language corners of the internet.
For context, during Jolie’s November 5 visit to Ukraine, her motorcade was briefly stopped by TRC personnel, and one driver — a reservist — was asked to step inside for a routine document check. TRC officials stressed that the encounter unfolded “strictly within the framework of current legislation,” and that Jolie did not intervene.
Following the circulation of the fake video, purported new cover art from the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo began appearing online, depicting Angelina Jolie alongside Volodymyr Zelensky. Posts presenting the image framed it as “French satire” commenting on the actress’s visit to Ukraine.
In reality, Charlie Hebdo did not publish an issue dated November 13. The magazine’s latest release, from November 12, focused on an entirely different topic, unrelated to Ukraine or Jolie’s visit.
The cover circulating on Telegram is entirely fabricated, likely produced using AI tools. This forgery serves to reinforce a narrative that France is supposedly “mocking Zelensky,” highlighting alleged corruption, and growing “weary” of supporting Ukraine.
Russian propaganda routinely forges the branding of established Western media to create the impression that “the West itself is revealing corruption in Ukraine,” “ridiculing the Ukrainian government,” or “growing tired of backing Kyiv.” Leveraging recognizable logos lends credibility to these fabrications and amplifies their spread among unsuspecting audiences.
Earlier, StopFake debunked similar false claims alleging that Charlie Hebdo had “mocked” President Macron’s support for Ukraine and the fighting in Pokrovsk.
