A "Potemkin Village" refers to a facade or deceptive appearance created to hide an undesirable reality. The term originates from the 18th century, attributed to Grigory Potemkin, a Russian statesman. It is said that he constructed fake villages along the route of Empress Catherine II to impress her during her visit to Crimea. In modern usage, the phrase describes any situation where superficial appearances are maintained to conceal underlying problems. This concept can apply to various contexts, including politics, business, and social issues, where the focus is on creating an illusion rather than addressing the truth.