Fact check: Putin’s lie about Ukraine war
Thousands of Ukrainians have been killed in Russian rocket attacks since February 24. Still, Vladimir Putin claims his soldiers don't attack civilian targets. The facts show quite the opposite.
Category Fact checks / debunkings
Read MoreFact check: Putin’s lie about Ukraine war
Fake: Kharkiv Region Wants to Join Russia
Kharkiv regional authorities have never expressed a desire for the region to become part of Russia, contrary to Russian occupying official's claims. Appointed by the Russian authorities as the so-called "head of the temporary civil administration of Kharkiv province," Vitaly Ganchev is accused of treason and collaboration by Ukraine. A recent poll by the reputable Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 82% of Ukrainians living under temporary Russian occupation, have a negative attitude towards Russia, and 77% believe that under no circumstances should Ukraine cede any territory.
Fake: European Parliament Doubts Kyiv Can Pay Off its Debts
French far-right MEP Thierry Mariani, known for his pro-Kremlin views and visit to Russian occupied Crimea, said he doubts Ukraine is capable of paying off its debt. His views are his own and do not reflect the position of the European Parliament and the European Union. The EU continues to provide assistance to Ukraine, through grants that do not need to be repaid and loans provided on very favorable terms.
Fake: Russian Army Destroys Troops who Raised Ukrainian Flag on Snake Island
Russia's Defense Ministry claims its troops destroyed Ukrainian servicemen who raised the Ukrainian flag on strategic Snake Island after Russian forces withdrew. The Ukraine's General Staff says the troops completed their task and returned to their base unharmed.
Fake: Politico: West Wants Urgent Peace Treaty with Russia Because Ukraine Is In for…
The Politico newspaper, which Russian media claims published a story about an imminent peace treaty between the West and the Russian Federation, does not have a single article on this topic. Quite the contrary, the publication quotes many Western politicians who say that the United States and the European Union are committed to long-term support for Ukraine and do not see a possible to end the war in the near future.
No, a Ukrainian attack didn’t destroy a Moscow skyscraper
A fire broke out on the roof of a Russian skyscraper, according to state news, and was extinguished with minimal damage.
We found no evidence to support the suggestion that the incident is connected to the country's invasion of Ukraine.
A Polish news organization, also citing the Tass agency, said "the fire affected one square meter of space."
We didn't see any credible reports tying the fire to a Ukrainian attack, or any attack.
We rate this post False.
Fake: US Forces Kissinger to Renege on Idea for Ukraine to Cede Territory to…
Kissinger did not suggest that Ukraine cede territory to Russia. He argued that in order to start peace negotiations with Ukraine, Russia must return to the positions that existed before the war began on February 24, 2022.
Fake: Russian Defense Ministry: Ukraine Lost 234 Planes and 137 Helicopters since War Began
Russia's Defense Ministry claims to have shot down more planes and helicopters than Ukraine ever had. According to official data, all branches of Ukraine's Armed forces combined were armed with a much smaller number of aircraft than what the Russians claim to have shot down.
Fake: Russian Forces Destroy Georgian Legion
Georgian National Legion commander Mamuka Mamulashvili and his fighters refute Russian claims that the legion was destroyed by Russian forces. Legion members say this is yet another Kremlin disinformation campaign against Georgian fighters who, together with Ukraine's Armed Forces, are fighting against Russian aggression. Neither the Ukrainian military nor anyone else has confirmed the Legion's alleged demise.
Post shows video game footage, not the war in Ukraine
What's being described as footage of the war in Ukraine is seen through a scope, with faint chatter in the background and the blast of weapons obliterating tanks on the ground.
"In Saturday Russian artillery tanks was completely destroyed by Bayraktar TB2 drones," reads a grammatically problematic July 3 Facebook post sharing the video.
But if you watch long enough, the clip is clearly glitchy and the aesthetics might seem familiar ' we've previously fact-checked videos like it that mischaracterize video game footage to make it seem like it's a recording of live combat in Eastern Europe.
Searching for the video's description online, we found a YouTube post that gives more context, informing the reader that this isn't real war footage. We rate claims that this is real war footage False.