Category Media taken out of context

Military Equipment Traveling Back to U.S., Contrary to Social Media Posts

A U.S. Army combat team recently completed its European deployment as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, a series of military exercises in support of NATO. The brigade has returned to Fort Hood, Texas, and its equipment will follow. But social media posts falsely claim the equipment shown in a video is "arriving in Europe" to aid Ukraine.

Read MoreMilitary Equipment Traveling Back to U.S., Contrary to Social Media Posts

Is This Image of a Mass Grave from the War in Ukraine?

[T]his picture predates the most recent Ukraine-Russia conflict by well over a decade, and depicts a mass burial site created during the First Chechnyan War. Several versions of the picture were published prior to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with the earliest example identified by Snopes dating back to at least 2006.

The photograph appears to have been taken by Georgian photojournalist Shakh Aivazov, who worked for The Associated Press during several Russian wars. It is included in a gallery of the Georgian Museum of Photography attributed to him and labeled "Chechnya, 1996."

These pictures appear to match video and other photographs of a graveyard on the outskirts of the Chechnyan capital of Grozny during the first Chechnyan war.

Read MoreIs This Image of a Mass Grave from the War in Ukraine?

Courchevel restaurant explains Ukrainian ‘burial dance’ mix-up – Truth or Fake

In a video circulating on social media, users claim that a waiter at an upscale French ski resort wearing a Russian flag jumpsuit carried a Ukrainian "coffin" during a champagne parade. The FRANCE 24 Observers team contacted Bagatelle Courchevel; the restaurant explained that the scene had nothing to do with the war in Ukraine. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.

Read MoreCourchevel restaurant explains Ukrainian ‘burial dance’ mix-up – Truth or Fake

Manipulation: British Military Expert Says Ukraine Can’t Retake Crimea

In his opinion piece for the British conservative Daily Telegraph newspaper, retired British Colonel Richard Kemp does not write that
Ukraine "cannot seize Crimea." On the contrary, Kemp emphasizes that
"Russia's complete collapse is surprisingly close," Ukraine will be able to
return the Crimean Peninsula which was annexed in 2014 and "achieve the
complete collapse of Putin's forces" with the full support of its partners.

Read MoreManipulation: British Military Expert Says Ukraine Can’t Retake Crimea

Posts omitted some of Microsoft co-founder’s comments

Some prominent conservatives in the United States are sharing a video that appears to show Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates calling the Ukrainian government one of the worst in the world amid the war with Russia. This is misleading; the original footage shows the billionaire philanthropist was referring to Ukraine's past, but the clip was deceptively edited to omit the word "pre-war" from the start of his sentence.

Read MorePosts omitted some of Microsoft co-founder’s comments

Marjorie Taylor Greene distorts Zelenskyy’s comments about sending US troops to war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not say this. During a February press conference, Zelenskyy predicted that if Ukraine loses the war, Russia will then invade a country that's a North Atlantic Treaty Organization member, forcing the U.S. to defend its allies.

Ukraine borders four NATO member countries, but it is not part of the military alliance.

Their ruling:

Greene claimed that Zelenskyy said he wants America's "sons and daughters to go die in Ukraine."

Zelenskyy did not say that.

During a press conference, he predicted that if Ukraine loses the war, Russia will invade a NATO member country next. If that happens, Zelenskyy said, Americans would be required to "send their sons and daughters" to war because of NATO's mutual defense treaty.

He did not mention U.S. troops going to Ukraine.

We rate this claim False.

Read MoreMarjorie Taylor Greene distorts Zelenskyy’s comments about sending US troops to war

Posts misrepresent Zelensky’s comments on US support

Conservative influencers in the United States are claiming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said America's "sons and daughters" will be obligated to fight and die for his country. This is misleading; Zelensky's full remarks show he was saying Russia might invade a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) country if Ukraine loses the war, implicating the alliance's members in a larger conflict.

Read MorePosts misrepresent Zelensky’s comments on US support