Category Hatred and bigotry

No, Zelensky hasn’t bought Eagle’s Nest, it is still in ownership of Bavarian state

Russia's war against Ukraine is not only a military confrontation, but Moscow is also deliberately targetting the Ukrainian president with disinformation and narratives that seek to discredit him. In early February 2025, posts on social media falsely claimed that Volodymyr Zelensky had purchased a property known as the Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden in the southern German state of Bavaria. However, the site -- which was closely associated with the Nazis during World War II and is a popular tourist destination even today -- is still owned by the state authorities. Furthermore, the false claims seem to have originated from a Russian disinformation network.

Read MoreNo, Zelensky hasn’t bought Eagle’s Nest, it is still in ownership of Bavarian state

Fake: Ukrposhta Presents a Stamp Sketch with the SS “Galicia” Veteran

This stamp does not exist. In a comment to StopFake, Ukrposhta denied this information. The list of issued stamps can be seen on the post office's official website, and the propaganda's made-up stamp with the SS "Galicia" veteran is not among them.

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FACT CHECK: Viral X Post Of Boris Johnson Giving Raised Arm Salute Is Digitally Altered | Check Your Fact

A viral image shared on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, purports to show former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson giving a raised arm salute at a recent public event.

Verdict: False
The image is digitally altered. The image was originally shared to the platform by user @smak_media, who admitted it was photoshopped in a subsequent post.

Read MoreFACT CHECK: Viral X Post Of Boris Johnson Giving Raised Arm Salute Is Digitally Altered | Check Your Fact

Does the Ukrainian Military Display a ‘Nazi Cross’ on Some Vehicles or Tanks? | Snopes.com

The cross at issue in the viral video is neither a modern-era German Iron Cross nor the simple cross used as an indicator by the Ukrainian army. It is true that variants similar to the cross in the viral video had been used by the Nazis in World War II.

This type of cross has a specific history in Ukraine, however, that predated its use in Nazi Germany. A guerrilla warfare campaign carried out by the Ukrainian National Army against the Red Army and other forces from 1919 to 1920 is known as the First Winter Campaign. [...] A "steel cross," as it is sometimes described in Ukraine, was the symbol of that Winter Campaign - the military award given for participation in these campaigns contained that equidistant cross.

In 2019, a Ukrainian military unit that has been fighting in the Donbas region of Ukraine since 2014 - the 28th Mechanized Infantry Brigade - was renamed "Knights of the First Winter Campaign." That Brigade's insignia, approved by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, presently contains this same cross. [...]

While one could debate the merits of using a symbol that has since become complicated by its use in other contexts, there is no reason to interpret such cross's use in Ukraine as a reference to Nazism.

Read MoreDoes the Ukrainian Military Display a ‘Nazi Cross’ on Some Vehicles or Tanks? | Snopes.com

Fake news about Kremlin critic Navalny aims to discredit him after his death

Since news broke on February 16, 2024 that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny had died while incarcerated in the Russian Arctic, there has been a resurgence of doctored images and fake news aiming to discredit Navalny and his family. We took a look at three of the most widely spread fake news items about Navalny. None of them are true.

Read MoreFake news about Kremlin critic Navalny aims to discredit him after his death