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.
Manipulation: Poland Says “West is Preparing Coup in Belarus”
Polish General Waldemar Skrzypczak did not talk about the West supposedly preparing a coup in Belarus. Skrzypczak emphasized that events similar to those that recently took place in the Belgorod region are quite likely to occur in Belarus in the event of a successful advancement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to the Polish military officer, it is the citizens of Belarus who may potentially rise against the self-proclaimed regime of President Lukashenko in the future. He stated that Poland should be prepared for this and support a democratic uprising in the neighboring country.
Fake: Odesa School Children Recruited to the Front
Russian propaganda is spreading another fake in the form of a “questionnaire” filled with numerous errors and listing military activities which simply do not exist in the Ukrainian military. Children and minors are not involved in Ukraine’s military service in any way. Mobilization is mandatory for individuals aged 18 to 60.
Fake: One Third of Annual Patriot Missile Production Destroyed in Ukraine
Without providing any evidence, anonymous sources are claiming that one third of the Patriot missiles produced annually are being destroyed in Ukraine. There are over 240 Patriot systems in 18 different countries in total (with Ukraine being the 19th), and thousands of missiles with different characteristics are produced for them. This sprint American defense companies have also signed additional contracts with the US Army for the production of Patriot missile systems components.
Fake: ICEYE Satellite Purchased by Ukrainians is Used for News Broadcasting
Ukrainian journalists have not published any investigations regarding the ICEYE satellite purchased by the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation through donations from Ukrainians. Satellites for television signal transmission and the ICEYE operate in different orbits and serve different purposes.
Fake: West Needs to Plan for Ukraine’s Future As If Its Counteroffensive Already Failed…
The Foreign Affairs article does not address a need to plan Ukraine’s future after a failed counteroffensive. This conclusion was fabricated by Russian propagandists. The authors of the article discuss the need for the West to plan long-term support for Ukraine, as there is currently no clear plan for what will happen after the counteroffensive. However, the United States and other European countries have repeatedly stated they will support Ukraine for as long as necessary.
When Russian propaganda mimics French news to spread disinformation – Truth or Fake
For several months, at least six fake anti-Ukraine covers of the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo have been circulating online, especially on Russian Telegram channels. Now a fake news report, attributed to French media outlet 20 Minutes, falsely accuses Russian independent journalist Ilya Ber of being behind these Charlie Hebdo covers. We debunk this false news report in this edition of Truth or Fake.
VIDEOFAKE: Budanov announced a plan to exterminate 3 million Crimean residents after the victory
The video was edited. This phrase was assembled from several different answers of Budanov. In an interview for the documentary film “Year” by journalist Dmytro Komarov, published on May 19, 2023, Kyrylo Budanov revealed his plans to travel to Sevastopol after victory. However, he added that the process of reintegrating Ukrainian territories would be lengthy.
Watch out, this isn’t a real American ad campaign calling for homeless people to fight in Ukraine
A call for homeless Americans to join the Ukrainian front? That”s what these advertisements shared on Twitter since April 2023 claim to show. Publications in several languages claim that a poster in the New York subway is offering financial benefits to those who are down on their luck – by fighting in Ukraine. However, there are several visual inconsistencies in the poster that point to it being fake. Plus, Ukrainian authorities have denied the existence of any such campaign.
Fake: Ukraine’s Population Falls to 20 Million
As of January 2023, Ukraine’s population ranged from 28 to 34 million people, according to Ukraine’s Ptoukha Institute for Demography and Social Studies. Temporarily occupied territories are not included in the calculations. The United Nations Population Fund meanwhile cited a figure of 36.7 million people, taking into account the temporarily occupied territories.
FALSE: Zaluzhnyi attended a wedding instead of a meeting with NATO
On May 10th, military serviceman Maksyim Alekseev posted on his personal Facebook page about his own wedding. Zaluzhnyi held the ceremony and Maksym expressed gratitude to the Commander-in-Chief. The post is accompanied by a series of photos from the actual wedding ceremony. Alekseev also mentioned that the wedding took place earlier, “not today, not yesterday”.
Does This Video Show NATO Troops in Ukraine? | Snopes.com
Because the video predates Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and because it was filmed in Afghanistan, we rate the version claiming that it shows a build-up of NATO forces in Ukraine “Miscaptioned.”
Debunking Zelensky’s ‘luxury real estate’ assets – Truth or Fake
On the sidelines of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s European tour, online claims went viral that the Ukrainian president has purchased luxury villas in Crimea, Italy and England with Western military aid money. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.
Old video of Russian tank toppling over at military parade resurfaces in Ukraine war posts
An old video of a Russian tank toppling over at a military parade has been viewed tens of thousands of times in posts that misleadingly claim the driver who overturned the vehicle subsequently avoided being sent to the front line in the war against Ukraine. The clip — which recirculated shortly after a military parade in Moscow in May 2023 — corresponds with media reports from 2018 about an accident at another event in the western Russian city of Kursk.
FACT CHECK: Did Vladimir Putin Collapse After Suffering A Heart Attack? | Check Your Fact
Verdict: False
The screenshot appears to be digitally fabricated, as the headline neither appears on the outletâs website nor its social media accounts. A reverse image search reveals the photos were created using artificial intelligence (AI).
Video Fake: Ukrainian Refugee Complaining About Living in Europe
The video circulating online is satirical and its author is not and has
never been a ‘Ukrainian refugee in Europe.’ The woman from the video
permanently lives in Ukraine and films many satirical sketches on TikTok.
However, Russian propaganda used the 48-second joke video to once again
discredit Ukrainian refugees.
Old video falsely shared as anti-Putin protest in Russia in May 2023
A video has surfaced in social media posts that falsely claim it shows protesters rallying against Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in May 2023. While Russians have genuinely protested against Putin’s war in Ukraine, the footage shows an anti-Kremlin protest in May 2013.
Does the Russian Army Use a Drone Named ‘Supercum’?
Ukrainian forces shot down three Russian unmanned vehicles originally identified as “Supercum” drones.
Fake: NATO Certain Ukrainian Counteroffensive Will Fail
Former Commander of US Forces in Europe, Ben Hodges, said nothing about the “future failure” of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. On the contrary, the general expressed cautious optimism regarding the effectiveness of the Ukrainian army in operations against Russian occupiers.
Fake: Ukrainian Football Association Announces Matches “in Memory of 300,000 Fallen Soldiers”
The Russian media spread the video with grammatical errors in the accompanying text, which appears to have been written by a person who does not speak Ukrainian. In addition, propaganda announced matches that do not correspond to the official Premier League schedule. In a comment to StopFake, the Ukrainian Football Association also denied the information spread by Russian media.
Dated photo at Moscow refinery is misrepresented as wartime image
A photo of a burning building is being shared on Twitter alongside claims it shows a fire at a factory supplying aircraft engines to Russia’s military amid its war in Ukraine. This is false; the image first appeared in 2018 and shows an oil refinery that caught fire, according to reports from the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Moscow and news articles from the time.