Category Misconceptions

Fake: Ukrainian Media Staged Olena Zelenska’s Meeting with Melania Trump

This photo is real. The first ladies met at the UN General Assembly in late September and discussed the protection of Ukrainian children. [...] However, this accusation against the Ukrainian media is completely unfounded. First, the photos are not identical: Melania Trump's facial expression and leg position are different in the photos. And secondly, the US First Lady took joint photos with Olena Zelenska and the Queen of Jordan on the same day, which is why she is wearing the same white suit. [...] There are no signs of editing on the photo with Zelenska.

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Fake: Ukrainian TV Doctored Zelensky’s UN Broadcast

A review of broadcast recordings and digital forensics shows the claim doesn't hold up. Ukrainian networks aired the official UN feed, while the version circulating online - showing a packed audience - was manipulated footage. [...] A review of the original United News broadcast - including the 1+1 TV segment - found no evidence of any 'added' audience. [...] The authentic broadcast carried unmistakable identifiers - the UN logo in the upper right corner and a Ukrainian-language audio track. By contrast, the fabricated version omitted these details, featured an English-language narration, and bore visible traces of AI manipulation.

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Fake: Ukraine’s International Legion Is Recruiting Germans for Revenge Against Russia

The International Legion firmly denied any role in the appearance of the leaflets. Their limited distribution - confined to a single district of Berlin - points to a staged provocation designed to discredit Ukraine and its armed forces. [...] Notably, the leaflets appeared only in a single Berlin district and carried an overtly propagandistic message - an appeal to a 'sense of revenge.' [...] The press service of the International Legion of Defence of Ukraine told StopFake it had no connection to the creation, distribution, or promotion of the leaflets.

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Fact Check: F-15 And Su-27 Video Game Footage Presented As Real Interception Over Ukraine — Old Video | Lead Stories

Does a viral video really show a Russian Su-27 jet intercepting a NATO F-15 trying to get closer to a Tu22m3 bomber over Ukraine? No, that's not true: The footage which was widely copied to other social networks carried the watermark of a TikTok channel that publishes aviation videos. The caption under the video indicated it was created in the "War Thunder" video game.

Read MoreFact Check: F-15 And Su-27 Video Game Footage Presented As Real Interception Over Ukraine — Old Video | Lead Stories

Fake: Andriy Parubiy Behind Maidan Shootings, Odessa Trade Union Arson, and Ukraine Coup | StopFake

Kremlin outlets have amplified claims tying former parliamentary speaker Andriy Parubiy to the Maidan shootings, the May 2014 Odessa fire, and an alleged coup in Kyiv. In reality, there is no evidence linking Parubiy to either the killings of protesters or the Odessa tragedy. Nor was there a coup in 2014: Ukraine's government was formed through a legitimate process that Moscow itself formally recognized at the time.

Read MoreFake: Andriy Parubiy Behind Maidan Shootings, Odessa Trade Union Arson, and Ukraine Coup | StopFake

Fake: Ukraine Bans Hasidic Pilgrimage to Uman | StopFake

Ukrainian officials have made no move to block the annual Hasidic pilgrimage to Uman, despite claims circulating on social media and pro-Russian outlets. The allegation - attributed to unnamed sources - was swiftly dismissed by Israel's Foreign Ministry, the United Jewish Community of Ukraine, and the foundations that coordinate the yearly gathering. Organizers confirmed that preparations for Rosh Hashanah 2025 remain on track.

Read MoreFake: Ukraine Bans Hasidic Pilgrimage to Uman | StopFake

Fact Check: No Proof For Zelenskyy $1.2B Real Estate Empire In ‘London Telegraph’ Story — New Website Using Stolen Profile Picture | Lead Stories

Is there any evidence for a story being spread online about "Olena K.", a Ukrainian anti-corruption official who supposedly defected to Europe and revealed real-estate corruption involving President Zelenskyy worth $1.2 billion ? No, that's not true: The story did not contain any verifiable details or documents and no media reported on the supposed events. The London Telegraph, the website where the story originated, was only registered in August 2025 and the profile picture of the journalist who supposedly wrote the story was stolen from the social media profile of a different journalist.

Read MoreFact Check: No Proof For Zelenskyy $1.2B Real Estate Empire In ‘London Telegraph’ Story — New Website Using Stolen Profile Picture | Lead Stories

Fake: Conflicting Numbers on Ukrainian Children Abductions Deny Deportations | StopFake

Kremlin outlets have seized on discrepancies in estimates of the number of Ukrainian children taken to Russia, touting them as supposed "proof" that the deportations are a Western invention. In reality, the varying figures reflect the inherent difficulty of gathering reliable data amid an ongoing war and under occupation. What remains undisputed, however, is the consensus among international organizations: Russia is engaged in the systematic deportation of Ukrainian children.

Read MoreFake: Conflicting Numbers on Ukrainian Children Abductions Deny Deportations | StopFake

Fake: Pro-Russian Banners With Russian Flag Appear on Ukrainian Streets | StopFake

Clips featuring these supposed "greetings" have appeared exclusively on Russian state-linked outlets, with no trace on Ukrainian platforms. The footage itself shows clear discrepancies-recycled shots spliced with artificial elements-pointing to manipulation through neural network tools.

Read MoreFake: Pro-Russian Banners With Russian Flag Appear on Ukrainian Streets | StopFake

MANIPULATION: Shelling of Russian territory during negotiations proves that Ukraine does not want to end the war – Western journalist

Information is being spread online claiming that Ukraine is allegedly shelling Russian territory during peace negotiations. This was supposedly noticed in the West as well: Dutch journalist Sonja van den Ende stated that allegedly such behavior shows that Ukraine does not want to end the war.

This is manipulation. Sonja van den Ende is a pro-Russian propagandist, not an independent Western journalist. The aggressor in the war is Russia, but it has not stopped shelling during negotiations.

Read MoreMANIPULATION: Shelling of Russian territory during negotiations proves that Ukraine does not want to end the war – Western journalist