Category War crimes

No, this video doesn’t show Ukrainians setting fire to an Orthodox church

Did Ukrainians really set a Russian Orthodox church on fire? A video purporting to show just that has been circulating online since April 5, 2023. However, it turns out that this video was filmed in Russia more than ten years ago and shows an accidental fire.
Read MoreNo, this video doesn’t show Ukrainians setting fire to an Orthodox church
Did Putin Suggest Russia Would Use Ukrainians as Human Shields?

Did Putin Suggest Russia Would Use Ukrainians as Human Shields?

True. The video of Putin saying Russian troops would "stand behind the people," and dare Ukrainian troops to "shoot their own people" is genuine. The statement was made during his 2014 press conference. While it is unclear if he implied using them as human shields, he did specify "not in front of them, but behind," further supporting that interpretation.
Read MoreDid Putin Suggest Russia Would Use Ukrainians as Human Shields?

Russian has not been banned in Ukraine, despite repeated claims

Ukraine has not banned the use of the Russian language in the country. A 2019 law established Ukrainian as the official language of Ukraine and strengthened its use in businesses, schools and the media. Our ruling Lavrov referenced the banning and prohibition of Russian in Ukraine, particularly in "education, the media, everyday contacts," during a press conference. Despite a language law that establishes Ukrainian as the country's official language and prioritizes its use in civil society, Russian has not been banned. We rate Lavrov's statement False.
Read MoreRussian has not been banned in Ukraine, despite repeated claims

No, this photo of intact windows in Bucha doesn’t prove the war in Ukraine is a hoax

The destruction in Bucha due to Russia invading Ukraine has been well-documented through news reports and photos. An image of overturned cars next to a building with intact windows doesn't disprove that. Photographer Emanuele Satolli, who took photos at the same scene pictured in the Instagram post, told the Greek fact-checking outlet Ellinika Hoaxes that he "met several citizens and everyone told me that the cars had been overturned by Russian tanks." Plenty of other photos Abd shot in Bucha show shattered windows, rubble from devastated buildings, streets in ruins, and human corpses ' all the real toll of a real war. Claims that the war in Ukraine is fake are inaccurate and ridiculous. That's our definition of Pants on Fire.
Read MoreNo, this photo of intact windows in Bucha doesn’t prove the war in Ukraine is a hoax

No, Putin didn’t free 35,000 children from Ukraine

This unfounded claim originated on a website known for publishing misinformation. Putin has freed 35,000 children in Ukraine, a country he's invaded, or anywhere else. There are no credible sources nor news reports to support this. Searching for evidence that Putin saved thousands of children, we only found articles reporting that Russian police jailed several children for leaving flowers at Ukraine's embassy in Moscow. We rate this post Pants on Fire!
Read MoreNo, Putin didn’t free 35,000 children from Ukraine