Category Attacks on civilians

Fake: Russian Defense Ministry Claims It Spared Central Kyiv Out of …

The Russian Ministry of Defense did not spare central Kyiv out of humanitarian concern. From the opening days of the full-scale invasion, Russian forces have carried out systematic missile and drone strikes against residential areas, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure across Kyiv, including its central districts. The ministry's own statement undercuts its humanitarian framing further: it contains explicit threats against the civilian population - language that is irreconcilable with any credible claim of restraint.

Russian Telegram channels and state media are amplifying a May 4, 2026, statement by Russia's Ministry of Defense claiming that Moscow had previously "refrained, for humanitarian reasons," from launching missile strikes on the center of the Ukrainian capital.

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Fake: Zelensky Admits Tomahawk Terror Plot

Amid ongoing talks among Western allies over providing Ukraine with U.S. Tomahawk long-range missiles, Russian propaganda escalated a disinformation campaign. Seeking to undermine a potential U.S. decision to supply advanced weaponry, Kremlin-linked media falsely claimed that President Volodymyr Zelensky had openly admitted to planning terrorist strikes inside Russia using American missiles. [...] In reality, the Ukrainian president emphasized that any use of U.S.-supplied Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles would be strictly limited to military targets.

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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

Fake: Russian Forces Attacked Restaurant with NATO Troops in Kryvyi Rih

On 4 April 2025, Russian forces launched a ballistic missile attack on a residential area in Kryvyi Rih. The missile, equipped with a cluster warhead, landed near a children's playground, causing heavy civilian casualties. Twenty people were killed, nine of them children. Video footage from the restaurant, which was also damaged in the strike, clearly shows that no military personnel were present at the time of the attack.

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FACT CHECK: Did Ukraine Fire U.S.-Made Missiles Against Civilians In Russia?

This is not a genuine cover of The Economist. It has not been shared on the publication's archive of past editions, or elsewhere on its website. The Economist edition for 24 February 2024 did feature a different illustration of President Putin and Mr Trump with the title 'Is Europe ready?'

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Fake: In Gaza Bucharest Will Save Ukrainians First, then Its Citizens

Romania has not made any statements that it is going to evacuate Ukrainian citizens from the Gaza Strip in the first place. Evacuation of citizens of all nationalities from the Gaza Strip is currently impossible.

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The fake news items that make it look like Ukraine was involved in the Crocus Hall attack in Russia

The Russian government continues to insist that Ukraine played a role in the terrorist attack that took place on March 22 in Crocus City Hall in a Moscow suburb - even though the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attack. And yet, rumours about Ukraine's involvement persist online, often circulated by pro-Russian accounts that are already engaged in a war of disinformation against Ukraine.

Read MoreThe fake news items that make it look like Ukraine was involved in the Crocus Hall attack in Russia

Russian embassy shares disinformation on alleged atrocities by foreign mercenaries in Ukraine

The Russian Embassy in South Africa shared an article on X on April 9 about alleged atrocities committed by foreign mercenaries fighting for Ukraine. But this content originated from a fake news site, and the images used can be traced to other contexts.

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DISINFO: Russia destroyed a military store and command post in Kharkiv

A conspiracy theory being used as a justification for a potential war crime, accusing Ukraine of using its population as human shields.

There is no evidence to support the thesis that a military store and command post were hidden inside the shopping centre. Instead, all indications point to Russia deliberately attacking civilians using two guided bombs. Some videos show a strong fire and detonations inside the burning premises. However, all shopping centres containing construction materials and pressurised containers can burn intensely and have explosions inside. This does not prove that a command post or weapons storage was hidden inside.

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