Fact checks: from across the internet
Ukraine Fact Check presents fact checks on Ukraine in two different ways. Our team works to:
1. index and tag existing fact-check articles from reputable sources from across the internet;
2. compile and publish original fact check articles, based our team’s own research into a subject.
Below, you can find the fact-check articles published by other websites across the internet.
Disclaimer: Ukraine Fact Check was not involved in producing the articles listed below. The information presented in them may be incorrect, incomplete, or misleading. As with any other type of article, read with a critical eye, check sources, and seek other opinions before making up your mind on important topics.
Fact check: 78 times Zelensky has expressed gratitude to the US
President Donald Trump claimed on social media on Sunday that “UKRAINE ‘LEADERSHIP’ HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS” in relation to the war there.
Trump’s claim is not even close to accurate.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed gratitude to the United States on dozens of occasions – 78 examples are listed below – since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of his country in early 2022. And Zelensky has repeatedly expressed gratitude to Trump personally since Trump was elected again last fall.
Fact Check: NO EVIDENCE Zelenskyy Invested $500 Million, $1.5 Billion ‘Of His Own Money’ In Ski Resort In Western Ukraine — Project’s Developer Denies His Involvement
Did President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy invest $500 million or $1.5 billion “of his own money” in “a ski resort in Western Ukraine”? No, that’s not true: Social media posts misattribute publicly known investment amounts about such a project. Talking to Lead Stories, the project’s developer denied not only Zelenskyy’s participation but also the presence of any direct government funding. Investment firm BlackRock, named in social media posts as one of the key investors, denied any involvement, too. Lead Stories found no credible sources linking Zelenskyy’s personal money to the Ukrainian ski resort project.
Fake: French Industrial Icon Shutters Because of ‘Anti-Russia’ Policy
The Bonpertuis plant didn’t fall victim to anti-Russia sanctions, but to the broader slump in Europe’s steel sector – a squeeze that has left smaller mills unable to absorb soaring costs or finance the large-scale investments required to stay competitive.
Dogs in Chernobyl mysteriously turned blue?
Claim: Images authentically show dogs with blue fur near the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine.
Rating: True.
Context: Dr. Jennifer Betz, medical director for the Dogs of Chernobyl program, said there is a “0% chance that the blue color is related to radiation.”
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.
Fake: Charlie Hebdo Mocked Macron’s Ukraine Policy and Pokrovsk Fighting
StopFake
Fake: Charlie Hebdo Mocked Macron’s Ukraine Policy and Pokrovsk …
Claim by Viral social media post: Charlie Hebdo Mocked Macron’s Ukraine Policy and Pokrovsk Fighting
StopFake rating: The covers are entirely fabricated; the French magazine has never published the cartoons in question.
Fake: Bloomberg Published an Infographic Showing How Zelensky “Looted” France
Claim by Viral social media post:
Bloomberg Published an Infographic Showing How Zelensky “Looted” France
StopFake rating:
Bloomberg did not post such an infographic.
Video Fabrication Is Circulating, Falsely Showing a 23-Year-Old Ukrainian Soldier Crying Over Being Taken to the War
The video of a Ukrainian soldier, circulating on social media, is AI-generated. It contains several flaws indicating the use of artificial intelligence. The original source of the video is a TikTok account that has posted a number of similar AI-generated videos.
Fact Check: Sora Videos Of Ukrainian Soldiers Surrendering In Pokrovsk Do NOT Show Real-Life Events | Lead Stories
Claim on x.com:
These are real videos of Ukrainian soldiers surrendering in the town of Pokrovsk.
Lead Stories rating: AI Generated
Fake: Ukrainian Gang Stole Chairs from Spanish Restaurants
Claim by Viral social media post:
Ukrainian Gang Stole Chairs from Spanish Restaurants
StopFake rating:
The story is true. Yet none of the media publications mention the nationality of the perpetrators. [No indication that they are Ukrainian.]
Fake: Italian Landmark Collapsed Because Funds Were Diverted to Ukraine
A historic tower in central Rome did not collapse because Italy “sent all its money to Ukraine.” The medieval Torre dei Conti fell during fully funded restoration work. Italian authorities are investigating the incident as a workplace accident and possible negligence.
False Quote Attributed to Olena Zelenska About Joining NATO Circulates
The quote attributed to Olena Zelenska is false. A similar phrase appeared in a 2022 BBC interview, but there she spoke not about enduring harsh conditions for 20-30 years or about joining NATO, but about 2-3 years and the prospect of joining the European Union
Manipulation: Ukraine Lost a Billion Dollars by Signing a Contract With an “American Weapon Store” – FT
Claim by Viral social media post:
Ukraine Lost a Billion Dollars by Signing a Contract With an “American Weapon Store” – FT
StopFake rating:
The Financial Times did not write that Ukraine lost a billion dollars on this deal. The newspaper only reported on the arms supply contract that Ukraine signed with an Arizona company in the first months of the full-scale invasion. The company was never able to fulfill it due to the lack of experience in such large-scale deliveries. The irresponsible supplier received 17 million euros in advance, but Ukraine successfully sued for this money after the contract was canceled.
Fake: Ukrainian Media Staged Olena Zelenska’s Meeting with Melania Trump
This photo is real. The first ladies met at the UN General Assembly in late September and discussed the protection of Ukrainian children. […] However, this accusation against the Ukrainian media is completely unfounded. First, the photos are not identical: Melania Trump’s facial expression and leg position are different in the photos. And secondly, the US First Lady took joint photos with Olena Zelenska and the Queen of Jordan on the same day, which is why she is wearing the same white suit. […] There are no signs of editing on the photo with Zelenska.
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.
Fake: Ukraine’s International Legion Is Recruiting Germans for Revenge Against Russia
The International Legion firmly denied any role in the appearance of the leaflets. Their limited distribution – confined to a single district of Berlin – points to a staged provocation designed to discredit Ukraine and its armed forces. […] Notably, the leaflets appeared only in a single Berlin district and carried an overtly propagandistic message – an appeal to a ‘sense of revenge.’ […] The press service of the International Legion of Defence of Ukraine told StopFake it had no connection to the creation, distribution, or promotion of the leaflets.
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.
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.
Fake: Ukraine Bans Hasidic Pilgrimage to Uman | StopFake
Ukrainian officials have made no move to block the annual Hasidic pilgrimage to Uman, despite claims circulating on social media and pro-Russian outlets. The allegation – attributed to unnamed sources – was swiftly dismissed by Israel’s Foreign Ministry, the United Jewish Community of Ukraine, and the foundations that coordinate the yearly gathering. Organizers confirmed that preparations for Rosh Hashanah 2025 remain on track.
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