Category Corruption

Fake: Zelenskyy Refused to Hold Elections And Seized Power in Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not refuse to hold elections in Ukraine. The Constitution of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine "On the Legal Regime of Martial Law" expressly prohibit holding any elections to the executive and legislative branches of government during wartime.

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Fake: The West is Stealing Art Objects From Ukraine

Ukraine decided to temporarily evacuate sixteen Byzantine icons from the
Khanenko Museum to the Louvre due to continuous Russian shelling of the
civilian infrastructure and cultural heritage sites. The Ministry of
Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine assures that the icons will
return home as soon as the situation allows. As a reminder, in October
2022, as a result of a Russian missile attack, the historical building and
interior decoration of the Khanenko Museum were damaged.

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Accounting error on military support does not mean US sent Ukraine $6.2 billion by mistake

The U.S. committed about $78 billion in humanitarian, financial and military assistance to Ukraine from January 2022 to February 2023, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German-based research organization that tracks nations' support of Ukraine, reported.

The U.S. total included $47 billion in military aid. That figure ranked highest among all nations and 14th as a percentage of gross domestic product.

A Pew Research Center poll in June of U.S. adults age 18 and older found that 31% of respondents said the U.S. is providing the right amount of aid to Ukraine, 28% said too much and 16% said not enough.

The Pentagon did not say that it mistakenly sent Ukraine $6.2 billion in cash.

We rate the Facebook post False.

Read MoreAccounting error on military support does not mean US sent Ukraine $6.2 billion by mistake

No evidence Mexican cartel obtained US weapons destined for Ukraine

Social media users are claiming Mexican TV reported that anti-tank missile systems the United States sent to Ukraine ended up in the hands of a Mexican cartel. This is false; the claims are based on a mistranslation of the segment, which showed a man sporting apparent gang insignia carrying the same type of military-grade weapon used in Ukraine -- but did not say the artillery was diverted from Kyiv.

Read MoreNo evidence Mexican cartel obtained US weapons destined for Ukraine

Fake: ICEYE Satellite Purchased by Ukrainians is Used for News Broadcasting

Ukrainian journalists have not published any investigations regarding the ICEYE satellite purchased by the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation through donations from Ukrainians. Satellites for television signal transmission and the ICEYE operate in different orbits and serve different purposes.

Read MoreFake: ICEYE Satellite Purchased by Ukrainians is Used for News Broadcasting

Fake News: NBU Governor Bought a Rolls-Royce

The car in question most likely belongs to a Ukrainian businessman and deputy of the Vinnytsia Oblast Council. What also indirectly points to this conclusion is the car's registration in the city of Mohyliv-Podilskyi, Vinnytsia oblast. The purchase of the Rolls-Royce GHOST with the vehicle registration plate КВ0001ОІ took place on 8 February 2022, meaning it occurred before Andriy Pyshnyy was appointed NBU Governor (and took office in October 2022) and before Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine.

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Fake: Corruption up by 500% in Ukraine Over Past Year, US Aid Not Reaching…

This claim about corruption levels in Ukraine is false. During a March 29 hearing in the US House of Representatives on Ukraine aid transparency and accountability oversight mechanisms, the inspectors general of three US government agencies involved in the delivery and distribution of aid to Ukraine stated that "there is no evidence that support for Ukraine has been used improperly". One year after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, international organizations tracking corruption have not recorded an increase in corruption in Ukraine. According to the Transparency International Corruption Index, Ukraine received 33 points in the 2022 rating, one point higher than 2the previous year.

Read MoreFake: Corruption up by 500% in Ukraine Over Past Year, US Aid Not Reaching…

Unproven claims about Volodymyr Zelensky’s wealth resurface online

Social media posts shared thousands of times say Volodymyr Zelensky earns $11 million per month, has billions in assets, including a $35 million house in Florida, and numerous other trappings of a moneyed lifestyle. This is unproven; public records show Ukraine's president does not own property in his name in the US state, financial disclosures and independent investigations indicate he is far from a billionaire, and none of the online claims include evidence of such significant wealth.

Read MoreUnproven claims about Volodymyr Zelensky’s wealth resurface online

Posts omitted some of Microsoft co-founder’s comments

Some prominent conservatives in the United States are sharing a video that appears to show Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates calling the Ukrainian government one of the worst in the world amid the war with Russia. This is misleading; the original footage shows the billionaire philanthropist was referring to Ukraine's past, but the clip was deceptively edited to omit the word "pre-war" from the start of his sentence.

Read MorePosts omitted some of Microsoft co-founder’s comments