Category Nazism

Doctored CNN tweet circulates in posts about ‘child soldiers training in Ukraine’

An image shared in multiple social media posts in different countries purports to show a genuine tweet from CNN about child soldiers in Ukraine. The claim is false; AFP found no evidence that the tweet was ever published by CNN, and the US broadcaster said it was fabricated. The photo in the posts has circulated online since at least 2018 in reports about Ukrainian children learning battlefield skills at a summer camp, and the photographer told AFP it was "never used" by CNN.

Read MoreDoctored CNN tweet circulates in posts about ‘child soldiers training in Ukraine’

No, this isn’t a picture of Ukrainian students celebrating Hitler’s birthday

An image of Russians forming the number 55 to celebrate the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin rocketing into space has been mischaracterized to wrongly claim that it shows Ukrainian students celebrating Hitler's birthday.

Anyone confusing this shape for a swastika is mistaken. While the the numbers are made with straight lines like a swastika ' lacking the curve that's often used to write the number five ' the angles are off. The two ends of both fives point in the same direction, whereas each end of a swastika points in a different direction.

But what's more, this photo wasn't taken in Lviv in 2022. It was shot in Penza, Russia, in 2016, to celebrate the 55th anniversary of Cosmonautics Day.

The "55" can be seen at the 47 mark, and it's followed by an image of Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet pilot who became the first person to orbit the earth on April 12, 1961.

We rate this post Pants on Fire!

Read MoreNo, this isn’t a picture of Ukrainian students celebrating Hitler’s birthday

Senior US military officer was not captured by Russian forces in Ukraine

As Russian strikes pounded the besieged port city of Mariupol in Ukraine, Facebook posts shared in various languages claimed US General Roger L. Cloutier was captured by Russian forces there. However, NATO said the rumour was "completely false" and that Cloutier, who leads NATO's Allied Land Command, had not been to Ukraine since July 2021. Cloutier was in Turkey when the false claims about his whereabouts circulated online.

Read MoreSenior US military officer was not captured by Russian forces in Ukraine

Zelenskyy’s shirt bears emblem of Ukraine armed forces, not Nazi cross

An Iron Cross visible on some of Zelenskyy's military green T-shirts is not a Nazi symbol. It represents the official emblem of Ukraine's armed forces and includes the country's coat of arms in the center.

The Iron Cross is a commonly used, famous German military medal. It's not a hate symbol on its own. It was turned into a Nazi symbol when the regime superimposed a swastika in the center.

Our ruling
Social media posts claim that a Nazi symbol can be seen on Zelenskyy's T-shirts.

This is wrong. The symbol visible on Zelenskyy's shirt is the official emblem of Ukraine's military and doesn't represent a Nazi Iron Cross.

We rate the claim False.

Read MoreZelenskyy’s shirt bears emblem of Ukraine armed forces, not Nazi cross

Zelensky hit by false claim about ‘Nazi T-shirt’ after US Congress meeting

Following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's virtual meeting with US Congress, social media posts shared hundreds of times claimed he was wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a "Nazi symbol". In fact, the symbol represents the Ukrainian military, according to an image comparison. A representative for the Ukrainian embassy in Thailand said it did not relate to Nazism.

Read MoreZelensky hit by false claim about ‘Nazi T-shirt’ after US Congress meeting

Photos of Nazi symbols in Ukraine are shared out of context – Truth or Fake

Several videos and photos are circulating online, lending credibility to Russian claims of a serious neo-Nazi problem in Ukraine. The problem here though is that the images and videos are a distortion of reality and, in some cases, completely fictional. We take a closer look in this edition of Truth or Fake.

Read MorePhotos of Nazi symbols in Ukraine are shared out of context – Truth or Fake

Altered photo shows Ukrainian president holding jersey with swastika

Social media posts feature a picture of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky holding a soccer jersey that has a swastika in place of a number. But AFP found that the posts used a digitally manipulated image superimposing the Nazi symbol on a photo taken from the leader's Instagram account.

Read MoreAltered photo shows Ukrainian president holding jersey with swastika