Category International community

Did Putin Promote Drug Smuggler U.S. Exchanged for Ex-Marine?

Did Putin Promote Drug Smuggler U.S. Exchanged for Ex-Marine?

True. Konstantin Yaroshenko was convicted in 2011 for his involvement in a major drug smuggling operation. It is also true that he was part of a prisoner exchange that also included Trevor Reed, a former U.S. marine.

In October 2022, Yaroshenko was indeed appointed to civic office by the Russian president's decree, having earlier expressed an interest in "human rights advocacy" and "social work."

Read MoreDid Putin Promote Drug Smuggler U.S. Exchanged for Ex-Marine?

Is Ukraine really developing a dirty bomb? Be careful of Russian claims

Ukraine is apparently in the process of developing a so-called dirty bomb - a bomb containing radioactive elements - or, at least, that's the narrative that Moscow has been peddling since October 23, 2022. The Russian Ministry of Defence posted these claims to Telegram and Twitter, along with illustrated documents meant to support these claims. But the images published in these documents are old and some of them were even taken in Russia.

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Is Red Cross Funding Families of Mobilized Russians?

Is Red Cross Funding Families of Mobilized Russians?

As stated on its website the Russian Red Cross, an organization making up the international network of Red Cross societies, has been fundraising and providing support for Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine and their families.

However, this does not mean that other Red Cross societies or its international organizing bodies have any part in its fundraising. The International Federation of Red Cross says it is guided by "impartiality", among its guiding principles.

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Finland did not advise citizens to ‘urgently buy iodine tablets after escalation of war in Ukraine’

Several Thai posts have shared a misleading claim that the Finnish government advised its citizens to urgently buy iodine tablets after an escalation of the war in Ukraine. It circulated in October 2022 after the Nordic country updated its guidelines on the use of iodine in case of a radiation hazard. A government official told AFP that events in Ukraine would not compromise radiation safety in Finland. They added that their guidelines aim to ensure there is protection for the most vulnerable in case of an emergency resulting from a nuclear reactor accident, as they are heavily dependent on nuclear power.

Read MoreFinland did not advise citizens to ‘urgently buy iodine tablets after escalation of war in Ukraine’

CNN didn’t report that Uganda’s president said it would be ‘disgusting’ to support Ukraine

Uganda's president came out as an early supporter of russia but this is not a real CNN headline.

The post appears to be an altered screenshot of a 2014 story on CNN's website. The story features a paused video of Museveni in which he appears wearing the same outfit and in front of the same background as the image of him in the Instagram post.

We found no credible news reports or other sources documenting Museveni as saying it would be disgusting to support Ukraine.

We rate that claim False.

Read MoreCNN didn’t report that Uganda’s president said it would be ‘disgusting’ to support Ukraine

Video game clip falsely shared as NATO military convoy being destroyed in Ukraine – Truth or Fake

A viral post on Facebook claims to show a convoy of NATO military advisers being destroyed by Russian missiles. While many users believe that the images represent actual fighting, they were actually taken from a war video game series called Arma 3. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.

Read MoreVideo game clip falsely shared as NATO military convoy being destroyed in Ukraine – Truth or Fake

The man in this video is an actor, but it does not mean the Ukraine war is being staged – Truth or Fake

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, repeated false claims have appeared on social media alleging that the entire conflict is being staged. FRANCE 24's fact-checking team debunk the latest example: two videos that show a man in Ukrainian army uniform being filmed, as he appears to act out a scene on the battlefield.

Read MoreThe man in this video is an actor, but it does not mean the Ukraine war is being staged – Truth or Fake

No, US actor Sean Penn didn’t film fake videos of the invasion of Ukraine in March 2022 – no proof anyone has – Africa Check

We've seen plenty of outlandish claims about the war between Russia and Ukraine on social media. But one claiming actor Sean Penn was involved in faking the entire conflict may take the cake - and is certainly also false.

Read MoreNo, US actor Sean Penn didn’t film fake videos of the invasion of Ukraine in March 2022 – no proof anyone has – Africa Check
Did Fuel Crisis Force Berliners to Chop Trees in Tiergarten?

Did Fuel Crisis Force Berliners to Chop Trees in Tiergarten?

Germans have not been chopping down trees in Tiergarten, Berlin, to meet energy needs. The claim is a misquote from a Bloomberg article about firewood demand.

While the article mentions that residents in the German capital did resort to felling parts of the park after the Second World War, the article clearly states that no such thing has happened today following Russia's shutdown of gas supplies to Europe.

The misquote, however, has been widely shared by pro-Russian accounts to support their narrative about the energy crisis in Europe.

Read MoreDid Fuel Crisis Force Berliners to Chop Trees in Tiergarten?