Category International community

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.

March 25, 2022

Disinformation Nazism USA AI-generated / doctored images Methods Misconceptions Ukraine Hatred and bigotry International community

Viral Photo of Russian Bomber Shows Incident from 2020

Amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, a misleading photo posted March 22 on Facebook shows an American fighter jet intercepting a Russian bomber near Alaskan airspace. But the incident was not related to the current situation in Ukraine; the photo appeared in an article published in Aero Magazine in June 2020.

March 25, 2022

Disinformation Escalation / WWIII USA Misconceptions Russia

DonMak eateries opened in Ukraine in 2016 after McDonald’s departure from pro-Russian cities

A Facebook post claims that Russia created its own version of McDonald's after the fast-food chain temporarily shut down operations in the country in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This is misleading; DonMak opened in Ukraine's separatist-controlled cities of Donetsk and Luhansk a few years after Russia's conflict with Ukraine in 2014. The images in the post were taken in Ukraine, not Russia, several years ago.

March 24, 2022

Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Methods Misconceptions Ukraine Russia International community

This footage shows a military exercise in the Netherlands in 2018

A video of military helicopters hoisting tanks into the air has been viewed millions of times in Facebook posts that claim it shows a Russian attack on a military base in Ukraine. The clip circulated as Russia intensified attacks in Ukraine. However, the footage actually shows a military exercise in the Netherlands in 2018.

March 24, 2022

Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Methods Misconceptions Ukraine Russia International community Netherlands

No, the infamous Canadian sniper Wali has not been killed in Ukraine

A number of viral posts on social media have claimed that a Canadian sniper, dubbed "the world's deadliest sniper", was killed within hours of arriving in Mariupol, Ukraine, where he had gone to fight. However the man, nicknamed Wali, is still alive and well. He told the FRANCE 24 Observers team that he thinks the disinformation around his death serves to dissuade foreign fighters from going to Ukraine.

March 23, 2022

Disinformation Chinese propaganda Russian propaganda Coordinated disinformation Fact checks / debunkings China Misconceptions Ukraine Russia International community

Yes, Russia could be expelled from the United Nations, but it’s unlikely

Yes, the U.N. General Assembly can expel a member country, but it's never happened. Russia's removal from the U.N. is unlikely, experts say.

March 23, 2022

United Nations Fact checks / debunkings Misconceptions Russia International community

Video appears to show Kenyan soldiers, not Russians

The soldiers seen in the video don't appear to be wearing Russian uniforms, an expert on land warfare said.

The uniforms appear to match those worn by soldiers in the Kenya Defence Forces.

A longer version of the video says the soldiers are members of the Kenyan military.

Our ruling
A video claimed to show Russian soldiers fleeing for safety after failing to fire a rocket-propelled grenade.

One expert told us the soldiers in the video don't appear to be Russian, based on their uniforms and lack of armbands. The uniforms do not seem to match ones in photos we found of Russian soldiers.

The uniforms appear to match those worn by the military in Kenya, based on images and a longer version of the video found on YouTube. We rate this claim False.

March 23, 2022

Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Methods Misconceptions Russia International community Kenya

This photo shows a plane towed for a 2011 exhibit in Croatia

A photo of a tractor towing a military aircraft has been shared thousands of times in social media posts that claim it shows a Ukrainian farmer capturing a Russian jet. While there have been reports of Ukrainian farmers making off with Russian military hardware, the picture was taken at an exhibit in 2011 to mark the anniversary of the armed forces of Croatia.

March 23, 2022

Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Methods Misconceptions Ukraine Russia International community

Video of crying boy at Polish border shared with misleading claim ‘he fled from Ukraine alone’

A video has been viewed millions of times online alongside a claim it shows a young Ukrainian boy crying helplessly after fleeing to neighbouring Poland "alone". This is misleading. Reuters news agency, which filmed the footage, told AFP that the boy was seen walking behind his mother in the second half of the video. The Polish Border Guard separately clarified that the boy was "with his family" when he crossed into Poland.

March 23, 2022

Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Methods Misconceptions Poland Ukraine Russia International community

One America News runs conspiratorial segment claiming strike on Mariupol hospital was US false flag

The aftermath of the attack on a maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, was captured on video and in photos showing that it was an actual attack.

A Pentagon spokesperson called OAN host Pearson Sharp's claims "ridiculous." Several independent experts who spoke to PolitiFact agreed that it was completely without merit. Russian officials have conceded the attack occurred.

Our ruling
Sharp said the attack on the Mariupol hospital had "the makings of yet another false flag operation" by the U.S.

There is no evidence that the attack was staged or a false flag carried out by the U.S. Its aftermath was documented by workers, witnesses and journalists on the ground.

We rate OAN's claim Pants on Fire!

March 22, 2022

Disinformation Russian propaganda Attacks on civilians Genocide vs Ukraine (2022-)Fact checks / debunkings USA Genocide Narratives Misconceptions Ukraine Russia The war is a hoax War crimes International community