Category Methods

No, this woman driving an armored vehicle isn’t Ukrainian. She’s Russian and the clip is from 2021

The clip does not show a Ukrainian woman teaching people how to drive an abandoned Russian armored carrier amid the war.

The TikToker is a Russian auto-blogger named Nastya Tuman and the video is from February 2021.

The Facebook video is a compilation of several clips she shared on her TikTok page on Feb. 16, 2021.

Tuman speaks Russian throughout the videos and excitedly describes the vehicle, saying it has 8-wheel drive, a seating shooter and a hatch for the driver-mechanic. She also discusses how to start it, instructing viewers on how to turn it on and shift into gear.

The clip was made by a Russian woman and is from February 2021. It is unrelated to the current conflict in Ukraine. We rate posts claiming otherwise False.

March 4, 2022

Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Methods Misconceptions Ukraine Russia

Old video game footage falsely shared as ‘combat in Ukraine after Russian invasion’

A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times across social media platforms alongside a claim it shows missiles over Ukraine after Russian forces invaded on February 24. But the video has been shared in a false context: it shows digitally animated footage from the video game War Thunder that circulated online months before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

March 3, 2022

Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Methods Misconceptions Ukraine Russia

This video shows a Libyan military jet shot down by rebels in 2011

A video of a plane engulfed in flames and falling from the sky has been viewed more than 1.5 million times in social media posts that claim it shows a Russian fighter jet shot down by Ukrainian forces in February 2022. In reality, the video predates the Russian invasion of Ukraine and shows a Libyan jet targeted by rebels in 2011.

March 3, 2022

Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Methods Misconceptions Ukraine Russia International community

This animation video circulated online months before Russia’s attack on Ukraine

A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Facebook alongside a claim it shows Russia bombing Ukraine. The video was shared shortly after Russian forces invaded the neighbouring country. But the video has been shared in a false context: it is actually an animation clip that has circulated online since at least October 2021.

March 2, 2022

Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Methods Misconceptions Ukraine Russia

Misleading post claims Syria footage shows Ukraine conflict

A Facebook post claims a video shows fighting in Ukraine. This is misleading; most of the footage was shot in Syria and released by Kurdish forces, while part of the clip is taken from CNN coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

March 2, 2022

Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Methods Misconceptions Ukraine Russia Syria International community

Video footage from 2014 misleadingly cast as Russian invasion

Footage of armored vehicles set alight by Molotov cocktails on a Ukrainian street is being presented on social media as local resistance against Russia's ongoing invasion. This is false; the recording is from Ukraine, but it was shot in 2014 in Kyiv during the country's popular protest movement, when demonstrators torched the army's vehicles.

March 2, 2022

Disinformation Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings 2014 Maidan revolution Methods Misconceptions Context Ukraine Russia

Video game falsely shared as ‘live footage’ of Ukraine conflict

As Russia pressed on with its invasion of Ukraine, a video clip was viewed thousands of times in Facebook and YouTube posts that claimed it showed live footage of the fighting. In reality, the footage was taken from a combat video game called ARMA 3.

March 1, 2022

Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Methods Misconceptions Ukraine Russia

Fake CNN tweet falsely reports first US casualty in Ukraine

Social media posts claim CNN lied to the public by tweeting that a man was the first US casualty in Ukraine after previously featuring the same photo in a post about his execution in Afghanistan. This is false; the network says the tweets are not from its official accounts, and the man pictured is a YouTube video game commentator who continues to livestream on the platform.

March 1, 2022

Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings USA Faked news reports Methods Narratives Misconceptions Ukraine Russia The war is a hoax International community

Posts falsely claim Steven Seagal with Russian forces in Ukraine

Social media posts feature an alleged CNN tweet that claims American actor Steven Seagal took up arms alongside Russian special forces in Ukraine. But CNN said the tweet -- which includes an image of Seagal in fatigues and carrying a weapon -- is fake, and his representatives also rejected the claim, saying the actor wants peace for both countries.

February 28, 2022

Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings USA Faked news reports Methods Misconceptions Ukraine Russia International community

Photo of children sending off Ukrainian troops is from 2016, not 2022

The viral image of children waving off troops dates back to 2016. It does not depict the current conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

Our ruling
Social media posts claim that a viral image, which shows two young children holding hands and saluting troops, was captured in Ukraine in 2022. But the photo traces back to 2016.

We rate these posts False.

February 28, 2022

Children Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Methods Misconceptions Ukraine Protected groups & minorities