The Cypriot government has launched an investigation into what it describes as a "hybrid attack" after a video circulating on social media alleged President Nikos Christodoulides used illegal financing schemes to win power.
Released just one day after Cyprus assumed the presidency of the Council of the European Union, the footage allegedly shows Mr. Christodoulides and associates discussing methods to bypass campaign spending caps.
Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis rejected the allegations as "false and misleading," stating the footage was clandestinely recorded and maliciously edited to damage the nation’s international standing.
Former Energy Minister George Lakkotrypis, who appears in the clips, filed a formal complaint with the Nicosia Criminal Investigation Department on Thursday.
He billed the leak as a calculated geopolitical strike.
“It is no accident that the video was leaked a day after the commencement of the Cypriot presidency,” Mr. Lakkotrypis said.
The video originated from an X account under the name "Emily Thompson" (@EmilyTanalyst). Despite being verified, the account had fewer than 800 followers and a history of generic engagement before posting the narrated report, which claims the campaign was funded by "illegal cash disguised as donations."
Authorities maintain the incident is a targeted disinformation campaign designed to destabilize the administration as it takes center stage in Brussels.