Fake: Moscow Patriarchate Priests Kicked Out of Zelensky’s Office by a False Alarm
An air raid alert signaling an enemy drone detected near Kyiv sounded, and the drone was subsequently shot down by Ukrainian air defense.
Category Ukraine
Read MoreFake: Moscow Patriarchate Priests Kicked Out of Zelensky’s Office by a False Alarm
No, This Isn’t Footage From the War in Ukraine
The video showed footage from the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and was posted on the 20th anniversary of the invasion.
Fake: US Intelligence Officer Says Poland Contributes to Ukraine’s Armed Forces Destruction
Poland providing Ukraine with MiG-29 fighter jets does not in any way contribute to the "destruction of Ukraine's Armed Forces". On the contrary, Poland and Slovakia's decision to transfer several dozen fighter jets to the Ukrainian military will only strengthen Ukraine's combat readiness for the expected counteroffensive. Poland is one of Ukraine's main partners in providing military assistance and training Ukrainian soldiers. Warsaw was one of the first countries to announce it would send German Leopard 2 tanks, as well as MiG-29 jets to Ukraine.
Fake: Ukraine Replaces Victory over Nazism Day with Victory Over Russia Holiday
A draft law under parliamentary consideration which has not yet been voted on does not cancel existing national holidays, but simply establishes new public holidays. The draft introduces a Peace Day holiday on September 21, in order to celebrate peaceful life after Ukraine's Victory over Russian military aggression. The May 9 Victory over Nazism day will remain a holiday, but will become a workday.
Fake: Ukraine Selling Stale Leftovers Due to Bread Shortages
Russian media is disseminating fake stories claiming Ukraine is selling stale repackaged bread as the country is suffering from bread shortages. Bread manufacturer Kyivkhlib's hotline reported that they do not produce the kinds of bread products described in these Russian stories. Russian propagandist claims that there is a bread shortage in Ukraine are also untrue. While experts predict an increase in bread prices throughout 2023, there are absolutely no bread shortages in Ukraine.
Military Equipment Traveling Back to U.S., Contrary to Social Media Posts
A U.S. Army combat team recently completed its European deployment as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, a series of military exercises in support of NATO. The brigade has returned to Fort Hood, Texas, and its equipment will follow. But social media posts falsely claim the equipment shown in a video is "arriving in Europe" to aid Ukraine.
Debunking claims that Polish Leopard 2 tanks got stuck in mud in Ukraine – Truth or Fake
Social media users are sharing a video that falsely claims Polish Leopard 2 tanks were captured while stuck in deep mud somewhere in Ukraine. But the misleading video has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.
Is This Image of a Mass Grave from the War in Ukraine?
[T]his picture predates the most recent Ukraine-Russia conflict by well over a decade, and depicts a mass burial site created during the First Chechnyan War. Several versions of the picture were published prior to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with the earliest example identified by Snopes dating back to at least 2006.
The photograph appears to have been taken by Georgian photojournalist Shakh Aivazov, who worked for The Associated Press during several Russian wars. It is included in a gallery of the Georgian Museum of Photography attributed to him and labeled "Chechnya, 1996."
These pictures appear to match video and other photographs of a graveyard on the outskirts of the Chechnyan capital of Grozny during the first Chechnyan war.
Courchevel restaurant explains Ukrainian ‘burial dance’ mix-up – Truth or Fake
In a video circulating on social media, users claim that a waiter at an upscale French ski resort wearing a Russian flag jumpsuit carried a Ukrainian "coffin" during a champagne parade. The FRANCE 24 Observers team contacted Bagatelle Courchevel; the restaurant explained that the scene had nothing to do with the war in Ukraine. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.
Unproven claims about Volodymyr Zelensky’s wealth resurface online
Social media posts shared thousands of times say Volodymyr Zelensky earns $11 million per month, has billions in assets, including a $35 million house in Florida, and numerous other trappings of a moneyed lifestyle. This is unproven; public records show Ukraine's president does not own property in his name in the US state, financial disclosures and independent investigations indicate he is far from a billionaire, and none of the online claims include evidence of such significant wealth.