Category Putin

Fact check: Ukraine elections, tax thresholds and viral masked men image | The Independent

How common is it for democracies to postpone elections during wartime?

Under the terms of Ukraine's constitution, elections cannot be held while the country is under martial law (which was declared by Mr Zelensky in February 2022 following Russia's invasion, and has been extended multiple times by Ukraine’s parliament).

Experts have also noted a number of practical obstacles to holding elections - around one-fifth of the country is currently occupied by Russia, millions of Ukrainians are displaced or serving on front lines, and there are security concerns.

Read MoreFact check: Ukraine elections, tax thresholds and viral masked men image | The Independent

Fact check: Ukraine elections, tax thresholds and viral masked men image | The Independent

Under the terms of Ukraine's constitution, elections cannot be held while the country is under martial law (which was declared by Mr Zelensky in February 2022 following Russia's invasion, and has been extended multiple times by Ukraine's parliament).

Read MoreFact check: Ukraine elections, tax thresholds and viral masked men image | The Independent

Russian President Vladimir Putin suffered a heart attack Oct. 22, 2023.

Unverified reports about Russian President Vladimir Putin's health have been circulating online, driven by social media.

The Kremlin denied Russian President Vladimir Putin was ill. Photos released by Russian media show Putin at meetings and public events in the days after this supposed health emergency.

The claim started on Telegram, a platform known for facilitating the spread of misinformation about Russia. The account that made the claim has shared other dubious reports about Putin's health in the past.

Based on available information, we rate the claim that Putin recently suffered a heart attack False.

Read MoreRussian President Vladimir Putin suffered a heart attack Oct. 22, 2023.

Fact Check: Putin Defends Hitler’s Invasion of Poland in Carlson Interview

True.

Based on a Russian transcript of Vladimir Putin's interview with Tucker Carlson, Newsweek verified Putin said Adolf Hitler was "forced" to invade Poland, an inaccurate interpretation of the circumstances leading to World War II.

While translations do not use the word "forced" or "compelled", they broadly match its meaning.

Read MoreFact Check: Putin Defends Hitler’s Invasion of Poland in Carlson Interview

This Is a Real Photo Of Putin Speaking with Other Leaders at an Enormous Table | Snopes.com

Claim: A photo authentically shows Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking with regional leaders at an enormous but sparsely populated table.
Rating: True

[...] Putin's public appearances often involve abnormally long or large tables, which has been a consistent source of speculation and mockery since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Read MoreThis Is a Real Photo Of Putin Speaking with Other Leaders at an Enormous Table | Snopes.com

FACT CHECK: Kim Jong Un And Vladimir Putin Video Edited To Show The Two Refusing To Drink From Glasses After Toasting | Check Your Fact

The caption reads, "When Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong UN met and none of them was willing to drink first."

The claim is inaccurate. The video has been edited to remove the moment that they drink. The full video shows that they did drink. The video shows the two toasted each other and then the other people at the table and then were clearly seen drinking.

Read MoreFACT CHECK: Kim Jong Un And Vladimir Putin Video Edited To Show The Two Refusing To Drink From Glasses After Toasting | Check Your Fact

Photo of Hawaiian park falsely shared as ‘Putin’s private villa’

A photo of a building complex inside a massive volcanic crater has been repeatedly shared in social media posts that falsely claim it shows a private villa owned by Russian President Vladimir Putin. In fact, the picture shows the Diamond Head Crater in Hawaii, a state park owned and maintained by the US government.

Read MorePhoto of Hawaiian park falsely shared as ‘Putin’s private villa’

Fake: Elon Musk Wants to Receive Russian Passport and Thinks Putin Is “Not a…

An excerpt from a broadcast on X (formerly Twitter), in which Elon Musk praises Putin and Russia, was generated by a neural network and shared initially by Russian sources. The original recording of the broadcast with Musk, where he says no such thing, is available online.

Read MoreFake: Elon Musk Wants to Receive Russian Passport and Thinks Putin Is “Not a…

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