Ukraine Discards Claims that President Zelensky Owns Cyprus Casino Complex
Ukraine is debunking claims that President Volodymyr Zelensky acquired a casino resort and hotel in Cyprus during their conflict with Russia.
Lately, there have been whispers surrounding an offshore entity named Film Heritage Inc., which was formed in Belize this month, acquiring the Vuni Palace Hotel and its neighboring Viva! Casino. The pair of establishments are situated along Cyprus' northern coastal region, specifically in the Mersin resort district.
The Ukrainian embassy in Cyprus has denounced the unsubstantiated claims of Zelensky's possession of Vuni Palace and Viva! Casino.
"This false information is merely another attempt to sully Ukraine and its leader in the eyes of the global community" read an embassy statement. "We implore readers and media experts to rely solely on credible sources and remain vigilant against manipulations and Russian propaganda."
The Vuni Palace Hotel and its attached Viva! Casino were inaugurated in 2006 and now offer 170 rooms and suites, three restaurants and a lobby bar, a spa, two outdoor pools, rooms for karaoke, billiards, chess, and ping pong, a yoga studio, and six conference centers.
Viva! Casino is a comparatively petite gambling venue sporting 270 slot machines and 15 live dealer table games. It's open round the clock.
Ukraine in Conflict
One of the first news platforms to propagate this rumor was the Turkish online news site OdaTV. It posted that an entity linked to Zelensky had taken control of Vuni Palace. The site did not specify the purchase price of Vuni and Viva! Casino, but a listing for the property had a proposed selling price of 150 million pounds (US$191.9 million).
Investigative teams have wholeheartedly disproved the notion that Zelensky was responsible for Vuni Palace's takeover. Cyprus' president, Nikos Christodoulides, also declared that the casino hotel reports held no truth.
Experts analyzing the continuous clash reckon that the talks of Zelensky's casino ownership were likely propagated by pro-Russia media outlets and efficiently spread through social media. Russian propaganda regularly institutes anti-Ukraine narratives to stoke support for the war.
Per the US Congressional Budget Office, America has administered about $175 billion to Ukraine since it began defending Ukraine from Russia in February 2022.
Cyprus’ Gaming Landscape
Cyprus, an island nation in the Mediterranean Sea, is culturally and politically connected to Europe, despite geographically being in West Asia.
Cyprus legalized gambling in 2012. This move permitted the establishment of minor casinos like Viva! and sports betting shops. The country also allows legalized forms of online gaming.
In 2015, Cyprus expanded its gaming sector to include a single large-scale casino resort and four smaller "satellite" casinos. The license for development of Cyprus' casino industry was awarded to Melco Resorts, a Hong Kong-based casino operator with a vast presence in the Chinese gaming market in Macau and a casino resort in the Philippines.
Melco unveiled City of Dreams Mediterranean, a €550 million (US$599 million) investment, in mid-2023. Showcasing 80,000 square feet, the casino is the largest in Cyprus with about 1,000 slots and over 100 table games.
The City of Dreams complex flaunts 500 guestrooms in a 14-story pyramid, plus amusement and water parks, top-grade shopping, conference facilities, outdoor and indoor swimming pools, various restaurants and bars, and more. Located on Lady's Mile Big Beach in Limassol, the resort is situated in the southern region of the island.
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