Category Russia

Fake: Zelenskyy is Faking Blackouts to Secure More European Aid

Claim by Viral social media post: Zelenskyy is Faking Blackouts to Secure More European Aid

StopFake rating: Outages across Ukrainian cities stem from voltage fluctuations and emergency shutdowns triggered by Russia's systematic strikes on the country's civilian energy infrastructure.

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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.

Read MoreFake: Ukrainian TV Doctored Zelensky’s UN Broadcast

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

Manipulation: Ukraine Wants to Change Regional Borders in Order to “Not Give Up Donbas” | StopFake

The bill concerns exclusively the internal optimization of administrative management and is related to the provision of social and financial guarantees for residents of the territories controlled by Ukraine; it does not provide for Ukraine to abandon the occupied areas or cede them to Russia. In addition, it is being considered by a special committee and may not be adopted

Read MoreManipulation: Ukraine Wants to Change Regional Borders in Order to “Not Give Up Donbas” | StopFake

Fake: JD Vance Said Ukraine Will Never Pay Out the Families of All Fallen Soldiers | StopFake

The quote that Russian propaganda attributed to Vance is fabricated. We were unable to find any confirmation in any credible Western media that the US Vice President really commented on Ukraine's ability to make payments to the families of fallen soldiers and voiced such statistics. Moreover, the original source of the so-called quote is the X profile " Reagan Ronald " with the telling bio "Ban for fact-checking!" and the "parody account" tag.

Read MoreFake: JD Vance Said Ukraine Will Never Pay Out the Families of All Fallen Soldiers | 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

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

Manipulation: Kyiv Targets Russian Language Status in European Charter Language Protections | StopFake

In fact, the measure does not amount to a ban. Rather, it addresses a longstanding translation error in the European Charter. The treaty is designed to safeguard endangered languages, while Russian - the official language of a major state - is not considered to be in need of such protection.

Read MoreManipulation: Kyiv Targets Russian Language Status in European Charter Language Protections | StopFake