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.
Fake: 47% of Odesa Residents Oppose Ukraine Joining NATO
Opinion polls show that 53% of Odesa residents support Ukraine joining
NATO, and only 18% oppose it. A recent poll conducted by the International
Republican Institute does not show that 47% are against Ukraine joining the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization,
Politico says 20 million Ukrainian soldiers would have to die to retake territory from Russia? No, article screenshot fake – Africa Check
The screenshot was tweeted by the Russian embassy in South Africa. But a Politico spokesperson says the article was not published by the US-based news outlet.
Does NATO’s Website Offer Ukrainian as a Language Option?
NATO’s official languages are French and English.
Fake: French Protestors Used Weapons the West Provided to Ukraine
There is no evidence that any weapons provided to Ukraine by Western
partners were used during the recent protests in France.
Fake translation added to French president’s UN speech about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
A TikTok video shared thousands of times claims to show President Emmanuel Macron apologising to France’s former African colonies and pledging reparations during a UN speech in New York in April 2023. But the claim is false: AFP Fact Check traced the footage of the address to a speech from last September and found that the original English translation was replaced with a fake voiceover. Macron did not discuss Africa but talked about the Russian-Ukrainian invasion.
Were Dead Russian Soldiers Packed Into Grisly ‘Meat Cubes’?
So far Newsweek has been unable to find any evidence to support the “meat cube” claims.
According to local reports, the images of slabs of meat packed in between wooden craters show leftovers of expired animal feed in Russia’s Belgorod region, not the bodies of Russian soldiers.
This viral anti-Zelensky billboard on New York’s Fifth Avenue is fake – Truth or Fake
There’s been much anti-Ukraine and anti-Zelensky propaganda circulating online since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But a new billboard has just appeared name-dropping Ukraine’s leader on New York’s Fifth Avenue above a busy flagship store. Many factors point to the video being manipulated. Vedika Bahl explains in this edition of Truth or Fake.
Fake: Counteroffensive Dead and Wounded Information Published in Ukraine
Russian propagandists have created a fake site to spread false information
about Ukrainian counteroffensive losses. There are no public forums or
organizations that track counteroffensive casualty numbers. This
information is confidential. Ukrainian military and their allies note that
Ukrainian Armed Forces losses are much smaller than those incurred by the
Russian army.
Fake: Polish Defense Ministry Urges Citizens to Defend Europe from Wagner Group Founder -…
An “advertising poster” in the photo was faked. The press service of the
Ministry of National Defense of Poland, at the request of a StopFake
journalist, stated that none of their departments responsible for
recruiting candidates for the Polish Army is the author of this poster.
Manipulation: Ukraine Will Join the EU Only in 20 to 30 Years
In an interview with five European publications, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she cannot say exactly when Ukraine will join the EU, as the time frame depends on two factors, internal EU processes and the progress of reforms in Ukraine. At the same time, von der Leyen emphasized that in the long run, Ukraine and the Balkans “cannot but integrate into the EU.”
Was Russian Soldier Blown Up Bashing Tank With Artillery Shell?
The video shared on Twitter has been edited. The explosion seen in the film is a video effect, available on TikTok.
The original video, which has been shared on other social media for at least seven months, shows the soldier using the shell to hammer a component into the tank before turning and smiling at a group behind him.
Fake: Zaluzhny Calls Ukraine’s Counteroffensive a Clown show
The Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny did not say
that the Ukrainian counteroffensive had turned into a clown show. He only
emphasized that despite the lack of crucial weapons and equipment, the
Ukrainian military are gaining ground every day.
Is RFK Jr. Right That U.S. Has Sent $113 Billion to Ukraine?
While Congress has allocated $113 billion worth of spending toward Ukraine, analysis of that spending shows that a significant proportion will not go directly to Kyiv.
Analysis by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, which tracks U.S. spending in Ukraine, has suggested the total direct spend to be around $77 billion.
Did RFK Jr. Use Russian Photo in Campaign Ad?
The photo used in the Kennedy campaign ad is from a picture used to help illustrate designs for online stores. The same retouched photo has been used by multiple online outlets.
While Newsweek was unable to find the location of the store, it does appear to have been shot in Russia or a Russian-speaking region.
However, there is no suggestion the choice of the photo was deliberate and is far likelier to have been an oversight of the RFK Jr. campaign team. Other photos the campaign has used for its merchandise were also shot in other locations around the world.
Did the Head of the Wagner Group Write a Children’s Book?
Yevgeny Prigozhin and his mercenary force launched a brief rebellion in Russia in June 2023.
Did Zelenskyy Say There Would Be No Elections in Ukraine Until War Ends?
The Ukrainian Constitution does not allow for elections when martial law is imposed.
Concert video predates Russian mercenary uprising
Tweets claim a video shows a crowd joyfully reacting to the Wagner Group’s short-lived mutiny in Russia. But the clip is old; it first circulated on Telegram in February 2023 and shows a private concert that a Russian online retailer organized for its staff.
These videos do not show clashes between the Wagner Group and Russian forces
In the aftermath of the armed rebellion attempt by Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner mercenary group against the Russian army command on Saturday June 24, people began sharing images online purporting to show the two sides fighting. But at least two of these videos were taken from the video game Arma 3 – and it’s not the first time this military video game has been used to spread misinformation.
Manipulation: UN Accuses Ukrainian Security Forces of Torturing Civilians
The UN report on the detention of civilians during Russia’s full-scale attack on Ukraine focuses mainly on the atrocities committed by the Russian military on the territory of Ukraine. The report documents more than 900 cases of arbitrary detention of civilians, including children and the elderly. The “vast majority” of these cases were committed by the Russian Federation. Moreover, executions committed by Russian troops are equated with a war crime. No such executions have been recorded on the Ukrainian side.
Fake: Relatives of a Deceased Soldier Booed
The relatives of the deceased Ukrainian soldier were not booed. The video
where screams could be heard was taken at a protest near the Resurrection
Church in the city of Krasyliv. The memorial service for the deceased
Ukrainian soldier was held in the same city, but in the Holy Trinity Church
of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.