Category Media taken out of context

How a video game has been used to create fake news about the Ukraine war – Truth or Fake

Since February, several Facebook and Twitter accounts versed in disinformation have been regularly sharing impressive videos purporting to show the war in Ukraine. But these viral images actually come from a video game called Arma 3. How can you spot these realistic spoofs that have even fooled international media? In this episode, the Truth or Fake team asks Pavel Křižka, representative of Bohemia Interactive, the company that developed Arma 3.

Read MoreHow a video game has been used to create fake news about the Ukraine war – Truth or Fake

This photo of Ukraine plunged into darkness is photoshopped

Has the entire Ukrainian territory been plunged into darkness due to Russian bombing? That's what some people on social networks have been saying since November 23, while sharing what appears to be an aerial photograph of Europe. While millions of Ukrainians have indeed lost power, this image has been manipulated using a photo that dates back to 2012.

Read MoreThis photo of Ukraine plunged into darkness is photoshopped

Photos of war makeup in Ukraine are from combat medic training in 2016

Four photos being shared on social media of a woman having war wound makeup applied to her face and body are from a medic training exercise in 2016.

At least one of the images was posted by an Instagram user whose profile describes her as a combat medic in Ukraine. The same woman appears in three of the photos.

A Twitter user with the same handle as the Instagram user tweeted Nov. 25 that "enemy propagandists" stole her photos from the 2016 training sessions to misrepresent them.

Allegations that images showing war devastation in Ukraine were staged have been shared on social media since Russia invaded the country in February.

We've debunked multiple claims about photos, including a false one that said a teacher injured on the first day of the war was a crisis actor.

Our ruling
An Instagram post claims that photos of war wound makeup being applied to a woman are fake combat photos, implying the violence in Ukraine isn't real.

But the photos can be traced to an Instagram user who described herself as a combat medic veteran. She shared at least one of the images on Instagram in 2016. A woman with the same handle on Twitter wrote that the photos were from training sessions and were being misrepresented by "enemy propagandists."

There is no evidence the photos were staged to show an injury from the current battle in Ukraine. We rate the claim False.

UPDATE, Dec. 1, 5:30 p.m. ET: The story was updated Dec. 1 to add the response from an Instagram user received after publication of this article.

Read MorePhotos of war makeup in Ukraine are from combat medic training in 2016

Don’t confuse this Zelensky lookalike with the Ukrainian president – Truth or Fake

A viral video on social media allegedly shows President Volodymyr Zelensky dancing with a rocket launcher, as the war in Ukraine drags into its ninth month. The man in the video is actually a parody actor, not the real Zelensky. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.

Read MoreDon’t confuse this Zelensky lookalike with the Ukrainian president – Truth or Fake

Poland missile strike: Beware of images on Twitter unrelated to the blast – Truth or Fake

Some users on social media are sharing images that allegedly show debris of the S-300 air defence missile that killed two people in Poland this Tuesday. But one of the images being shared is actually from projectile remains found in Dagestan in October 2020. We tell you which images to look out for in this edition of Truth or Fake.

Read MorePoland missile strike: Beware of images on Twitter unrelated to the blast – Truth or Fake

Video game clip falsely shared as footage of Russian tanks struck by US-supplied missiles in Ukraine

A video viewed tens of thousands of times on social media has been falsely shared as showing Ukrainian troops attacking Russian tanks with US-made Javelin anti-tank missiles. While the missiles are among armaments sent by the United States and Western countries to Ukraine after Russia's invasion in February 2022, the clip in fact shows footage from the video game ARMA 3.

Read MoreVideo game clip falsely shared as footage of Russian tanks struck by US-supplied missiles in Ukraine

No, the Ukrainian president did not write a book called ‘Mein Kampf’

Is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the author of a new book entitled "Mein Kampf", or "My Struggle", using the same graphic design as Adolf Hitler's manifesto? This is what many people online have been claiming to be the case since October 19, 2022. But the photos they use as proof are actually just photoshopped using old images. While the Ukrainian president is indeed preparing to release a book, it has a totally different title and cover design.

Read MoreNo, the Ukrainian president did not write a book called ‘Mein Kampf’

Misinformation accuses Ukraine of ‘staging’ the war – The Observers

Since the Russian war in Ukraine began, misinformation has been spreading widely. And one of the narratives we've seen again and again is the idea that Ukraine has been "staging" atrocities to sway public opinion in Western media outlets. Here's a closer look at three videos we've seen and debunked.

Read MoreMisinformation accuses Ukraine of ‘staging’ the war – The Observers

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.

Read MoreIs Ukraine really developing a dirty bomb? Be careful of Russian claims