Category USA

Fake: West Preparing to “Liquidate” President Zelensky

An article in the American publication Politico examining Kyiv's plan if Russia assassinates President Volodymyr Zelensky has given rise to a wave of Russian fakes claiming the West is fed up with the Ukrainian President and plans to "liquidate" him. There is absolutely nothing in the article about removing Zelensky, it simply examines possible scenarios in the event of a Russian assassination attempt on the President of Ukraine.

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PolitiFact | ‘Zero response’ for Maui, Hawaii claim is false; government aid came hours after wildfire started

Claim: "There has been zero response from local, regional or federal officials" to aid people affected by the Maui, Hawaii, wildfires.

Verdict: 'Zero response' for Maui, Hawaii claim is false; government aid came hours after wildfire started

Read MorePolitiFact | ‘Zero response’ for Maui, Hawaii claim is false; government aid came hours after wildfire started

Fake: US General Called F-16 Fighters Useless for the Armed Forces

The US Air Force in Europe and Africa commander James Hecker did not call F-16 useless for Ukraine. The general noted that American fighter jets will provide additional capabilities to the Armed Forces on the battlefield, but will not be a panacea in the fight against the invaders.

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What we can VERIFY about bans on cluster bombs and whether using them is a war crime

Cluster munitions that the U.S. is sending to Ukraine are banned in more than 100 countries. The use of cluster bombs can be a war crime in some cases.

Countries that haven't ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions treaty, such as the United States, Russia and Ukraine, can use cluster bombs without violating international law.

However, there are some cases where the use of cluster bombs by any country could violate international law and be considered a war crime. These include attacks that indiscriminately target civilians.

Read MoreWhat we can VERIFY about bans on cluster bombs and whether using them is a war crime

No evidence that test of US nuclear missile was done to threaten Russia

Claim: Joe Biden launched unarmed nuclear bombs as a "Russia threat."
Verdict: No evidence that test of US nuclear missile was done to threaten Russia.

The Air Force described it as routine. News reports on the testing did not mention Russia.

Read MoreNo evidence that test of US nuclear missile was done to threaten Russia

No, the U.S. didn’t ‘accidentally’ send an extra $6 billion to Ukraine

No, the U.S. government did not accidentally send an extra $6 billion to Ukraine.

This viral claim takes what actually happened completely out of context. The U.S. actually sent about $6 billion less than it intended in military equipment to Ukraine – not $6 billion more.

That happened because the Pentagon overestimated the value of military equipment sent to the country, meaning it was worth about $6 billion less than originally estimated.

Read MoreNo, the U.S. didn’t ‘accidentally’ send an extra $6 billion to Ukraine

Is This a Real Photograph of Zelenskyy’s Home? | Snopes.com

The above photograph does not show Zelenskyy's home. Using Google's reverse-image search tool, we found the same photograph on a number of real estate websites showing luxury properties in France and Monaco.

Given that the author of the original tweet pulled the photo from real estate profiles of a house in France, without providing any evidence of its ownership, we rate this photograph as "Miscaptioned."

Read MoreIs This a Real Photograph of Zelenskyy’s Home? | Snopes.com