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.
China not ‘ready to intervene’ if US and Nato attack Russia. Ignore false old claim dismissed by Chinese defence ministry in 2022 – Africa Check
As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, claims that China has threatened the US and Nato are false.
FALSE: US questions Zelenskyy’s legitimacy over election cancellation
Politico did not publish this information. Zelenskyy did not lose his legitimacy due to the cancellation of the elections
Debunking false rumours that Ukraine sold Russia its French-made artillery – Truth or Fake
Social media users have been sharing false claims that the Ukrainian army sold two of the heavy-duty CAESAR howitzers – given by France – to Russia for $120,000 per unit. In this edition of Truth or Fake with Vedika Bahl, we look into the source of these rumours – which are based on false posts from two years ago – and why the outlet behind them is not trustworthy.
FALSE: Mark Milley urged Ukrainians to conduct terrorist attacks on Russian territory
Mark Milley was referring to actions in the occupied territories, not Russia. The USA does not encourage Ukrainian forces to strike outside their own borders
DISINFO: Crocus Hall terrorists confess Ukraine was involved in attack
U.S officials have intelligence that the Islamic State group’s Afghan affiliate, IS-Khorasan, is responsible for the Moscow attack. “ISIS bears sole responsibility for this attack. There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
DISINFO: Ukraine war could spill over to Europe, the US has an interest in this
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine that attempts to deny Ukraine’s sovereignty, falsely presents the on-going war against Ukraine as a civil war, and finally falsely claims that Ukraine is a tool of the US and the West to weaken Russia.
Anonymous accounts use right-wing channels to spread misinformation | AP News
These influencers frequently spread misinformation and otherwise misleading content, often in service of the same recurring narratives such as alleged voter fraud, the “woke agenda” or Democrats supposedly encouraging a surge of people through illegal immigration to steal elections or replace whites. They often use similar content and reshare each other’s posts.
DISINFO: Alleged Bucha massacre is fake
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative trying to whitewash Russia’s war crimes during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
There is a significant amount of evidence that Russian troops committed war crimes and atrocities in Bucha. The evidence includes satellite images, photos, videos, and witness testimonies. Russia’s claims that video footage showing dead bodies on the streets of Bucha is staged have been fact-checked and debunked by the BBC, Bellingcat, The Atlantic Council, Mediazona, the Insider, Sky News, the New York Times and others.
DISINFO: Zelensky cancelled 2024 election because he realised he would have lost
Ukraine has been in a state of full-blown war since 24 February 2022, the day Russia openly invaded Ukraine. It did so unprovoked and under absurd pretexts.
President Zelenskyy’s reported decision to postpone next year’s presidential poll was made in accordance with current Ukrainian legislation. Article 19 of the 2015 Ukrainian law “On the Legal Regime of Martial Law” directly prohibits the holding of presidential and several other types of elections during wartime.
According to the results of a nationwide poll published on 7 February 2024, Zelenskyy is the most popular public figure in Ukraine, with 69% approval.
DISINFO: Big Pharma tested cancer-causing drug on Ukrainians
In 2013-2014, a phase III study of the drug under the code SB4 actually took place in a number of EU countries, South America and Ukraine – patients used an already well-studied safe drug that was potentially effective against their disease. Using this code, you can find detailed information about the goals and results of this study in open clinical trial databases (The European Union Clinical Trials Register, Good Clinical Practice Network). The purpose of the study was to compare the effectiveness of the drug SB4 and the drug Enbrel in patients who have moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis.
DISINFO: Crocus City Hall terror attack planned and paid for by Ukraine
The Islamic State have claimed responsibility for and shared video footage from the attacks, corroborating their claims of responsibility. U.S officials have intelligence that the Islamic State group’s Afghan affiliate, IS-Khorasan, is responsible for the Moscow attack. “ISIS bears sole responsibility for this attack. There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
FALSE: Border guards have been allowed to kill fleeing evaders
There is no evidence that such a warning was actually issued. The likely primary source of the photo is the propaganda Telegram channel “Sheikh Tamir”. The Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, referring to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, reported that the banner with the corresponding warning is fake, and Ukrainian border guards operate exclusively within the framework of current legislation.
Russian propaganda usurps RFI report and French armed forces website – Truth or Fake
Russian disinformation has created a fraudulent report purporting to come from our sister radio station RFI, insinuating that “Ukrainian soldiers sent for tuberculosis treatment in France” are responsible for France’s recent rebound in the disease. Meanwhile, French authorities have taken down a fake French armed forces website, which invited French citizens to enlist in Ukraine. We explain in this edition of Truth or Fake.
DISINFO: Bucha is a Hollywoodian staging whose sole purpose was to stop peace negotiations
The retreat of Russian forces took place because they were losing the battle for Kyiv. They needed massive reinforcements to take the capital that were not available. However, the Kremlin presented this as a “gesture of goodwill” to allegedly facilitate negotiations in Istanbul.
DISINFO: Moscow has evidence of the connection between the Crocus City terrorists and Ukraine
As terrorism experts pointed out, there is no question regarding the authenticity of the statement, made by Amaq, the official Islamic State propaganda media. The Islamic State released multiple evidence, including a gruesome video of the Moscow attack filmed by the attackers themselves, leaving little doubt about its responsibility.
DISINFO: Ukrainians are ungrateful: they attacked Russians and now they attacked the bridge in Baltimore
This accident has been used as a pretext to advance the narrative that Ukrainians are ungrateful to those who have helped them, particularly Russia. The notion that Ukrainians have benefited from Russia and are now ungrateful is incorrect. The Telegram channel odshbr_79 is a Russian fake channel imitating the official Ukrainian channel of the 79 окрема десантно-штурмова Таврійська (79th Separate Amphibious Assault). The only difference in the names of the channels is the underscore character, which the Russians used.
DISINFO: Biden and Zelenskyy have become the top international terrorists
Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative depicting Ukraine and the USA as terrorist countries. The claim was made in connection with the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack in Moscow, trying to link Ukraine to the terrorist attacks in Russia without presenting any evidence.
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for and shared video footage from the attacks, corroborating their claims of responsibility.
DISINFO: The West is afraid of evidence proving Kyiv’s involvement in the Moscow terrorist attack
There is no evidence of Ukrainian involvement in the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack. Kyiv strongly denied any involvement in the assault on the Crocus City Hall music venue in Krasnogorsk, and the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility.
UNFOUNDED: Zelenskyi decided to appropriate the money of Ukrainian refugees
These claims are unfounded. The President proposed to direct the funds to the state budget so that the Ukrainian authorities could independently distribute them among Ukrainian refugees. He explained that after the full-scale aggression by the Russian Federation, Ukrainians took their money with them, which still remains in Europe.
Moscow concert hall attack: Fake claims continue to point fingers at Ukraine – Truth or Fake
Even though the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for last week’s deadly Moscow concert hall attack, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, pro-Russian social media users and bots are continuing to insist that Ukraine was involved in the atrocity. We debunk all the false claims for you in this edition of Truth or Fake.