Category Media taken out of context

Months-old footage of Russian market fire falsely linked to renewed Middle East conflict

After Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had struck US military targets in Bahrain in July 2026, social media posts recirculated an old video falsely claiming it showed a massive fire at a US base in Bahrain. The footage actually depicts a fire at a market in St. Petersburg, Russia, in December 2025.

Read MoreMonths-old footage of Russian market fire falsely linked to renewed Middle East conflict

Old Video From Russia Falsely Linked to Recent U.S. Strikes on Iran

Misleading: The video is old and does not depict a recent U.S. attack on facilities or sites belonging to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Misbar's team found that the original video was posted on social media in April 2025, claiming to show an ammunition depot explosion in Kirzhach, Russia's Vladimir Oblast.

Read MoreOld Video From Russia Falsely Linked to Recent U.S. Strikes on Iran

Video of Fire in Russia’s St Petersburg Falsely Linked to US-Iran Conflict

Claim: A video is claimed to show Iran attacking secret American facilities in response to a US attack in Bandar Abbas.
Fact: The video actually shows a massive fire at Pravoberezhnny Market in St Petersburg, Russia on 10 December 2025

Read MoreVideo of Fire in Russia’s St Petersburg Falsely Linked to US-Iran Conflict

Fake: Finland’s Foreign Ministry Says EU Is Not Trying to End the War in Ukraine

Finland's Foreign Minister made no such statement and did not call for the war in Ukraine to "continue." On the contrary, Elina Valtonen stressed that allies should maintain pressure on Russia and must not abandon the fight to defend Ukraine's freedom.

Read MoreFake: Finland’s Foreign Ministry Says EU Is Not Trying to End the War in Ukraine

Video of Russian gas explosion falsely claimed to show Belfast unrest

A video of a large fire is circulating on social media with false claims it depicts recent disorder in Belfast. But the video actually shows the aftermath of a gas pipeline explosion in Russia that happened on 9 June. The footage does not show Belfast or the ongoing unrest there. It actually shows the aftermath of gas pipeline explosions in Russia.

Read MoreVideo of Russian gas explosion falsely claimed to show Belfast unrest

Fake: Podolyak Says Ukraine Is Ready to Defend Taiwan Instead of the U.S.

Fake: Podolyak Says Ukraine Is Ready to Defend Taiwan Instead of the U.S. The quote attributed to Podolyak is a fabrication. It originated on a satirical Telegram channel that explicitly identifies itself as a publisher of "fakes," and the image accompanying the posts was lifted from an earlier interview on an unrelated topic.

Read MoreFake: Podolyak Says Ukraine Is Ready to Defend Taiwan Instead of the U.S.

Fact Check: OLD Video Of Russian Submarine Arriving In Havana, Cuba Is From 2024 — Not 2026

Does a video show a Russian submarine arriving in Havana, Cuba, in May 2026? No, that's not true: The footage dates back to June 2024, when a nuclear-powered Russian submarine and three Russian warships arrived in Havana as part of a port visit coinciding with Russian naval exercises in the Caribbean. The clip resurfaced in social media posts falsely claiming it depicted such an event in May 2026.

Read MoreFact Check: OLD Video Of Russian Submarine Arriving In Havana, Cuba Is From 2024 — Not 2026