Category UK

Fake: Ukrainians in Poland and Great Britain Issued Draft Notices

Russian media claims that draft notices are being issued to Ukrainians in
the UK and Poland are not true. According to Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers
Regulation #1487, Ukrainian diplomatic missions are obliged to inform
Ukrainian citizens of military service age about conscription campaigns and
to facilitate their return to Ukraine in times of mobilization or war. No
one is authorized to serve draft notices abroad, not even diplomatic
workers. The video being circulated online, in which a Telegram user claims
several of his acquaintances received draft notices in their places of
employment in Poland is a blatant lie. Another fake vein, in which a letter
allegedly urging Ukrainians currently living in the UK to report to the
Ukrainian embassy seemingly for military service, is also a forgery.

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Elon Musk tweet amplifies false Ukraine casualty numbers

Online articles and social media posts claim almost 2,700 NATO soldiers and military trainers have died during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This is false; the military alliance has not deployed personnel to Ukraine and an official confirmed to AFP that none have been killed in the conflict.

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FACT CHECK: Did Time Magazine Publish This Image Of The British Home Secretary Wearing A Swastika? | Check Your Fact

Verdict: False
This image is digitally fabricated. A spokesperson for Time Magazine confirmed in an email to Check Your Fact that the image is not an authentic cover.

Read MoreFACT CHECK: Did Time Magazine Publish This Image Of The British Home Secretary Wearing A Swastika? | Check Your Fact

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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No, BBC journalist Jeremy Bowen did not ‘stage’ a Ukraine report – Truth or Fake

A screenshot from a BBC report is circulating heavily on social media, with claims that the reporter is pretending to be on the frontlines whilst a woman stands casually in the background with a shopping bag. What's true and what's fake? We explain the details in this edition of Truth or Fake with Vedika Bahl.

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How to investigate a Twitter account or suspicious tweets

There are about 200 million people who use Twitter on a daily basis, making it an important site for news and information. But this social network is also a prime source of disinformation, from fake accounts to tweets taken out of context. The FRANCE 24 Observers team takes a look at some good habits to avoid falling into these Twitter traps.

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Fake: UK Invented Reusable Toilet Paper “Because of Anti-Russia Sanctions”

Reusable toilet paper as a more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional toilet paper was invented a few years ago and has nothing to do with "anti-Russian sanctions". The product was particularly relevant during the coronavirus pandemic, when the first shortage of toilet paper arose. As for the UK, the discussion about reusable toilet paper resumed in mid-August amid rising inflation, but the vast majority of consumers perceived the idea negatively and refused to use the eco-product.

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Fake: Britain Decides When to Get Rid of Ukrainian Refugees

Russian propagandist media are making false claims about British attitudes to Ukrainian refugees based on a poll conducted by the British Office of National Statistics. The Homes for Ukraine program conducted a survey to assess how long current sponsors wanted the hosting arrangement with Ukrainian refugees to last. 24% of respondents said they were ready to help with housing for more than six months, but not for longer than a year. 23% said they were ready to help for longer than a year. There was no mention of any expulsion of Ukrainians from Britain in the survey.

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Manipulation: European Countries Reneging on Military Promises to Ukraine

A recent Politico article has given rise to Russian propagandist manipulation about European promises to Ukraine. The article makes no mention about discarded European promises and focuses on two problems: the current depletion of weapons stocks in those countries that have been actively helping Ukraine since the beginning of the war, and the delay in the transfer of weapons from Germany and France to Ukraine. Because of this, six European countries did not make new weapons commitments in July, however, they did not renounce their previous ones. A pause in military transfers is not a point of no return, it is just that, a pause, to be renewed in the future.

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