Category Fact checks / debunkings

Manipulation: Ukraine Drives Up Criminal Activity in Eastern Europe

The April 24 article on the French news Atlantico website does not claim that crime in Eastern Europe has skyrocketed because of Ukraine. The story refers to the so-called Carpathian gray zone, an area used by criminal groups from various countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia, to traffic prohibited goods to the EU. According to Xavier Raufer, the article's author, the increased flow through the Carpathian zone is caused by Russia's war against Ukraine and its blockade of Ukrainian ports.

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Putin didn’t ‘shut down’ all Russian oil to the U.S. It’s already banned.

This isn't accurate. The U.S. banned all imports of Russian oil, natural gas and coal in March 2022 after Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.
A caption on an April 26 viral Facebook video claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin "just SHUTDOWN All Oil To The US, Collapsing The US Economy!"

Oil prices have dropped in recent days, but market experts credit that largely to weak demand and economic jitters over banking. This is the opposite of what would be expected with prices if this claim were accurate.

It's not. This claim is Pants on Fire!

Read MorePutin didn’t ‘shut down’ all Russian oil to the U.S. It’s already banned.

Fake: Ukraine Will Blow Up Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant During Counteroffensive, US Confirms

The US delivered to Ukraine sensors that detect a surge of radiation. This is solely caused by Russia's nuclear blackmail, not the Ukrainian army's actions or plans.

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Fake: Ukrainian Forces Unable to Counter Russian Missiles

Aviation expert Valery Romanenko did not make such claims during an interview with the NTA TV channel. On the contrary, both Ukraine and foreigners emphasize the effectiveness of Ukrainian air defense increasing significantly since the full-scale war with Russia began (up to 80%).

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Old port fire video falsely shared as ‘Israeli attack on Iran’s military aid to Russia’

An old video of a smoking field of debris has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in Chinese-language social media posts that falsely claim it shows Iranian military aid for Russia blown up by Israel in March 2023. But there is no evidence the event described in the posts actually occurred. The video was in fact shared by an Afghan official in the aftermath of a massive port fire in the country in February 2021.

Read MoreOld port fire video falsely shared as ‘Israeli attack on Iran’s military aid to Russia’

Forged poster shared to claim ‘homeless people recruited in US to fight in Ukraine’

Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, an international legion backing the Kyiv government started an advertising campaign to drum up overseas support and recruit fighters from abroad. However, a fabricated poster shared thousands of times online, allegedly targeting people on welfare in the United States, is not related to this campaign. Ukrainian authorities say the image -- which AFP found has several inconsistencies in its formatting -- is a forgery.

Read MoreForged poster shared to claim ‘homeless people recruited in US to fight in Ukraine’

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 CNN tweet on Zelensky, immigration spreads online

An image circulating online purports to show a CNN tweet quoting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky saying he plans to change his war-torn nation's demographics through mass immigration. But the supposed screenshot is fabricated; the global news network published no such post, a spokesperson confirmed to AFP.

Read MoreFake CNN tweet on Zelensky, immigration spreads online