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.

Video game clip falsely shared as footage of Russian tanks struck by US-supplied missiles in Ukraine

Video game clip falsely shared as footage of Russian tanks struck by US-supplied missiles in Ukraine

Nov 16, 2022
A video viewed tens of thousands of times on social media has been falsely shared as showing Ukrainian troops attacking Russian tanks with US-made Javelin anti-tank missiles. While the missiles are among armaments sent by the United States and Western countries to Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in February 2022, the clip in fact shows footage from the video game ARMA 3.
FTX helped with a cryptocurrency fundraising site, but there’s no connection to U.S. aid to Ukraine

FTX helped with a cryptocurrency fundraising site, but there’s no connection to U.S. aid to Ukraine

Nov 15, 2022
FTX, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, announced on Nov. 11 it had filed for bankruptcy. Sam Bankman-Fried resigned as the company’s CEO. He is a large donor to Democrats, but has also given to Republicans. FTX partnered with a fundraising site called Aid for Ukraine, where people can donate cryptocurrency to help the country’s war effort. FTX’s role in the project was to facilitate the conversion of cryptocurrency into regular currency. There’s no evidence that U.S. aid money sent to Ukraine was then used to invest in FTX. Most U.S. aid doesn’t go directly to the Ukrainian government, but rather through third parties like contractors or humanitarian groups. Our ruling An Instagram post claimed that U.S. aid money sent to Ukraine is being funneled back in the form of campaign contributions to Democrats through the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX. FTX’s former CEO was a large donor to Democrats, but has also given to Republicans. The company’s connection to Ukraine was partnering with a fundraising site called Aid to Ukraine that allows people to donate cryptocurrency for the country’s war effort. That money was then transferred to the Ukrainian government, not the other way around. There is no evidence to support the claim. We rate this False. Update, Nov. 16, 2022: This story was updated to include statements from the U.S. State Department, the United States Agency for International Development and Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation that were received after publication. It also clarifies the job title for Alex Bornyakov. The rating is unchanged.
FACT CHECK: Russia Claims Not A ‘Single Piece Of Military Equipment’ Was Left Behind In Kherson Retreat | Check Your Fact

FACT CHECK: Russia Claims Not A ‘Single Piece Of Military Equipment’ Was Left Behind In Kherson Retreat | Check Your Fact

Nov 15, 2022
Verdict: False Visual evidence shows the Russian military left equipment behind in the area. Experts and open-source intelligence (OSINT) accounts that track the conflict said the claim was false.
FACT CHECK: Did The U.K. Suspend Aid To Ukraine? | Check Your Fact

FACT CHECK: Did The U.K. Suspend Aid To Ukraine? | Check Your Fact

Nov 11, 2022
Verdict: False The U.K. has not suspended their funding to Ukraine. U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has repeatedly affirmed his support for Ukraine.
Film production footage sparks both Russian and Ukrainian disinformation – Truth or Fake

Film production footage sparks both Russian and Ukrainian disinformation – Truth or Fake

Nov 10, 2022
Images circulating on social media from a Ukrainian film production do not prove that Ukraine is staging the war, but neither do they prove “Russian illiteracy”. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.
FACT CHECK: Did Time Magazine Publish This Image Of The British Home Secretary Wearing A Swastika? | Check Your Fact

FACT CHECK: Did Time Magazine Publish This Image Of The British Home Secretary Wearing A Swastika? | Check Your Fact

Nov 7, 2022
Verdict: False This image is digitally fabricated. A spokesperson for Time Magazine confirmed in an email to Check Your Fact that the image is not an authentic cover.
No, the Ukrainian president did not write a book called ‘Mein Kampf’

No, the Ukrainian president did not write a book called ‘Mein Kampf’

Nov 4, 2022
Is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the author of a new book entitled “Mein Kampf”, or “My Struggle”, using the same graphic design as Adolf Hitler’s manifesto? This is what many people online have been claiming to be the case since October 19, 2022. But the photos they use as proof are actually just photoshopped using old images. While the Ukrainian president is indeed preparing to release a book, it has a totally different title and cover design.
No, Volodymyr Zelensky isn’t publishing his own ‘Mein Kampf’ – Truth or Fake

No, Volodymyr Zelensky isn’t publishing his own ‘Mein Kampf’ – Truth or Fake

Nov 4, 2022
We debunk false claims circulating online that Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky has written and will be releasing a book with the same title as Adolf Hitler’s infamous manifesto. Vedika Bahl has all the details in this edition of Truth or Fake.
Ad comparing spending on Ukraine, US children is ridiculously wrong

Ad comparing spending on Ukraine, US children is ridiculously wrong

Nov 3, 2022
On a largely bipartisan basis, Congress has approved about $66 billion in assistance to Ukraine since it was invaded by Russia in February 2022. • Proposals supported by President Joe Biden that won the support of only Democrats in Congress allocated $482 billion on behalf of U.S. children in 2021. • One of the efforts from Democrats ‘ an expansion of the child tax credit that was included in Biden’s American Rescue Plan of 2021 ‘ paid out $92 billion to U.S. families with children, or 1.5 times the amount that the U.S. has spent so far on Ukraine. Our ruling A Citizens for Sanity ad said that Biden and Democrats “send a fortune to Ukraine but nothing for our children.” On a largely bipartisan basis, Congress has approved roughly $66 billion in assistance to Ukraine. By comparison, proposals supported by Biden and that won support of only Democrats in Congress spent $482 billion on behalf of U.S. children in 2021. The child tax credit expansion alone paid out $92 billion to U.S. families with children, or 1.5 times the amount the U.S. has spent so far on the war in Ukraine. We rate the statement Pants on Fire!
Story about TikTok dances to help Ukraine is satire

Story about TikTok dances to help Ukraine is satire

Nov 3, 2022
We found the March 1 story on Cinch News. Other headlines on the site were suspicious ‘ “It’s time to abolish gendered days,” for example. A “Why” section confirmed Cinch is “a satirical publication.” We rate claims that this is a real news story False.
Are U.S. Troops on the Ground in Ukraine?

Are U.S. Troops on the Ground in Ukraine?

Nov 2, 2022
While the Pentagon briefing of the news media highlights the most direct role American personnel have played within Ukraine, to call it “boots on the ground” is an overstatement. The team will be weapons experts with the aim of keeping tabs on the U.S.-supplied arms in an operation that does not involve American soldiers fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. The inspectors will not be near the frontline, the Pentagon said.
Misinformation accuses Ukraine of ‘staging’ the war – The Observers

Misinformation accuses Ukraine of ‘staging’ the war – The Observers

Nov 1, 2022
Since the Russian war in Ukraine began, misinformation has been spreading widely. And one of the narratives we’ve seen again and again is the idea that Ukraine has been “staging” atrocities to sway public opinion in Western media outlets. Here’s a closer look at three videos we’ve seen and debunked.
Was 'Fired' Russian General's Body Found in Moscow River?

Was ‘Fired’ Russian General’s Body Found in Moscow River?

Oct 31, 2022
False. The claim that Lapin’s body was discovered in a river is unsubstantiated. The original reports were based on a misleading tweet and were later retracted. While there are numerous and, so far, unverified reports, including those from by pro-Kremlin outlets, suggesting that Lapin resigned or was removed from his command, there is no evidence to suggest that he is no longer alive.
Did Putin Promote Drug Smuggler U.S. Exchanged for Ex-Marine?

Did Putin Promote Drug Smuggler U.S. Exchanged for Ex-Marine?

Oct 28, 2022
True. Konstantin Yaroshenko was convicted in 2011 for his involvement in a major drug smuggling operation. It is also true that he was part of a prisoner exchange that also included Trevor Reed, a former U.S. marine. In October 2022, Yaroshenko was indeed appointed to civic office by the Russian president’s decree, having earlier expressed an interest in “human rights advocacy” and “social work.”
Are Stray Dogs 'Lining Up' for Pet Food in War-Torn Kramatorsk?

Are Stray Dogs ‘Lining Up’ for Pet Food in War-Torn Kramatorsk?

Oct 28, 2022
The dogs in the photo were pictured lined up near a feeding station in Kramatorsk, as confirmed by photos and film clips taken by volunteers in the city. While there have been other recorded instances of dogs queueing, they were often highly trained. It’s not clear whether these dogs were patiently waiting their turns or it was simply a well-timed photo, but the image is deeply heart-warming nonetheless.
Fact check: Russia’s false case for a dirty bomb in Ukraine

Fact check: Russia’s false case for a dirty bomb in Ukraine

Oct 28, 2022
Russia’s Foreign Ministry has published photos purporting to prove that Ukraine is building a dirty bomb. In truth, the photos are of entirely different things – including reactors in Russia.
Russia's Claim That Photo Shows 'Dirty Bomb' in Ukraine

Russia’s Claim That Photo Shows ‘Dirty Bomb’ in Ukraine

Oct 27, 2022
The images in the graphic, shared by the Russian Ministry of Defence, are not of a Ukrainian dirty bomb facility or evidence of the creation of a dirty bomb. Some are photos of Russian and Siberian research facilities. Another, according to the Slovenian government, is from a 2010 Radioactive Waste Management presentation by a Slovenian non-profit. One of the images has been used several times over on different websites since 2010.
No, Ukraine does not have nuclear bombs or “dirty bombs”

No, Ukraine does not have nuclear bombs or “dirty bombs”

Oct 27, 2022
Ukraine does not have a nuclear bomb or a “dirty bomb,” according to experts and watchdogs. The country used to have Soviet-era nuclear weapons but returned them to Russia after the Soviet Union collapsed. Ukraine also dismantled or destroyed its nuclear missiles and silos. Its nuclear materials are now used for peaceful purposes. Experts and watchdogs say Ukraine has neither a nuclear bomb nor a “dirty bomb.” Ukraine used to have nuclear weapons but it transferred them to Russia after the Soviet Union collapsed and dismantled or destroyed its nuclear missiles and silos. The nation’s nuclear materials are now used for peaceful purposes. We rate the post False.