Category Fact checks / debunkings

China repeats false claim that U.S has biolabs in Ukraine

China's government is amplifying debunked claims about non-existent U.S. biological weapons labs in Ukraine, bringing the falsehoods back into the spotlight on social media.

Our ruling
A spokesperson for the Chinese government said the U.S. has biolabs in Ukraine.

The claim originated with the Russian government and has been previously debunked by U.S. government officials and weapons control advocates. Following Zhao's March 9 remarks, U.S. government officials strongly refuted the claims again, saying the false narrative was being used to lay the groundwork for further violence in Ukraine.

Read MoreChina repeats false claim that U.S has biolabs in Ukraine

FACT CHECK: Does This Video Show Volodymyr Zelenskyy And His Wife Singing ‘Endless Love’ By Lionel Richie? | Check Your Fact

Verdict: False
The video features Boyce Avenue member Alejandro Manzano and English musician Connie Talbot. The music video does not feature Zelenskyy or mention Ukraine at any point.

Read MoreFACT CHECK: Does This Video Show Volodymyr Zelenskyy And His Wife Singing ‘Endless Love’ By Lionel Richie? | Check Your Fact

Ukraine’s army is not using cats to spot Russian snipers

A tweet spread as a screenshot online says the Ukrainian army is using cats to locate Russian snipers via lasers attached to their rifles. But there is no evidence to corroborate the claim, a military expert dismissed it as "complete garbage," and the author of the post acknowledged it was intended as a joke.

Read MoreUkraine’s army is not using cats to spot Russian snipers

Misleading claims on US border guards deploying to Europe spread online

Social media posts claim US President Joe Biden's administration is leaving the country's southern border exposed by asking guards protecting it to deploy to Europe to assist Americans fleeing Ukraine. But US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says the claim incorrectly conflates different branches of the agency, and that the personnel in question are not primarily tasked with guarding against illegal border crossings and smuggling.

Read MoreMisleading claims on US border guards deploying to Europe spread online

Photo shows Slovakian soldier returning from Afghanistan in 2012 — it does not relate to Ukraine

After Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, an image of a man kissing a woman's pregnant belly circulated in online posts that claimed it shows a Ukrainian soldier kissing his "unborn child goodbye" as he prepared to fight for his country. But the image -- which has been shared hundreds of times -- has circulated in a false context. It was originally published by the Slovakian defence ministry in a 2012 post about soldiers returning from a mission in Afghanistan.

Read MorePhoto shows Slovakian soldier returning from Afghanistan in 2012 — it does not relate to Ukraine

Megachurches in U.S. Are Supporting Ukraine Relief, Contrary to Social Media Posts

Several megachurches in the U.S. are actively raising funds to support Ukrainians in light of the Russian invasion. But social media posts have falsely claimed that “we haven’t seen a single American mega church offer anything to the Ukrainians.”

Read MoreMegachurches in U.S. Are Supporting Ukraine Relief, Contrary to Social Media Posts

Photo shows British paratrooper, not Ukrainian soldier

Social media posts shared after Russia invaded Ukraine claim a photo shows one of Kyiv's soldiers crying. But the picture was taken years earlier and shows a British paratrooper at a ceremony at which he received the beret of his brother, who was killed in Afghanistan.

Read MorePhoto shows British paratrooper, not Ukrainian soldier