Category Germany

Fake: Ukraine’s International Legion Is Recruiting Germans for Revenge Against Russia

The International Legion firmly denied any role in the appearance of the leaflets. Their limited distribution - confined to a single district of Berlin - points to a staged provocation designed to discredit Ukraine and its armed forces. [...] Notably, the leaflets appeared only in a single Berlin district and carried an overtly propagandistic message - an appeal to a 'sense of revenge.' [...] The press service of the International Legion of Defence of Ukraine told StopFake it had no connection to the creation, distribution, or promotion of the leaflets.

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Pic of New York Post headline calling European women leaders an expletive is fake | Snopes.com

Fake.
Context: The image was a misleadingly edited screenshot of an article that ran in the New York Post. The real headline of that article was, "Meet the tough women leaders taking on Vladimir Putin."

Read MorePic of New York Post headline calling European women leaders an expletive is fake | Snopes.com

Photo of Zelenskyy wearing a suit when meeting WEF leader predates Ukraine war

What was claimed:
A photo shows President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently wearing a suit to meet WEF founder Klaus Schwab because he is his "actual boss", amid criticism Mr Zelenskyy received for not wearing one to meet President Trump.

Our verdict:
This photo shows the two men in suits in 2020, before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, after which President Zelenskyy stopped wearing suits publicly.

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Viral Photos Of Zelenskyy In Suit Predate 2022 Russian Invasion Of Ukraine

Claim: Volodymyr Zelenskyy wore a suit while meeting Emmanuel Macron and Klaus Schwab, but opted for a non-formal sweatshirt during his visit to the Oval Office.

Fact: Photos of Zelenskyy with Macron and Schwab were taken prior to the Russian invasion of February 2022.

Read MoreViral Photos Of Zelenskyy In Suit Predate 2022 Russian Invasion Of Ukraine

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: Ukrainians Demand Ransom from the Deceased Hamas Hostage’s Family

There is no police investigation claiming that the family of Shani Louk, who was killed by Hamas, received ransom calls from Ukraine. Neither the German media WDR, cited by the propagandists, nor any other credible sources published such news. Propaganda used the signature style of the German media to justify Hamas and denigrate Ukraine.

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Fake: German Restaurant Urges to Talk Less About Ukraine in Its Ad

A German burger restaurant Burgermeister representative said in a comment to StopFake that they have no relation to the video circulating online. Due to the misuse of their name and logo, the company intends to contact law enforcement authorities to investigate this incident.

Read MoreFake: German Restaurant Urges to Talk Less About Ukraine in Its Ad

Fake Video: Anti-Ukrainian Flash Mob in Poland

The German state radio station and TV channel Deutsche Welle did not shoot a video about the "anti-Ukrainian flash mob in Poland". No such video is available on the website and social networks of the Polish and English-language versions. Russian propaganda used Deutsche Welle's signature style to create a fake story about a non-existent anti-Ukrainian flash mob.

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