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.

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Fake: Zelensky Orders Schools And Universities to Work Offline from September 1

Aug 22, 2022
Offline education process will take place only if there are protective facilities in schools and universities. In addition, the final decision on the format of education is made by regional civil-military administrations together with the students’ parents. If parents disagree with offline study, they may choose an online mode, an individual schedule, or transfer their child to home study.
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Manipulation: Ukrainians Will Be Punished for Receiving Russian Humanitarian Aid in Occupied Territories

Aug 22, 2022
Ukrainian legislation does not impose liability for receiving Russian humanitarian aid in the occupied territories. On the contrary, the new draft laws are intended to add humanitarian aid to the list of activities not considered collaboration, as long as it does not involve aiding and abetting the Russian occupants.
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Fake: UK Invented Reusable Toilet Paper “Because of Anti-Russia Sanctions”

Aug 20, 2022
Reusable toilet paper as a more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional toilet paper was invented a few years ago and has nothing to do with “anti-Russian sanctions”. The product was particularly relevant during the coronavirus pandemic, when the first shortage of toilet paper arose. As for the UK, the discussion about reusable toilet paper resumed in mid-August amid rising inflation, but the vast majority of consumers perceived the idea negatively and refused to use the eco-product.
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Fake: Britain Decides When to Get Rid of Ukrainian Refugees

Aug 18, 2022
Russian propagandist media are making false claims about British attitudes to Ukrainian refugees based on a poll conducted by the British Office of National Statistics. The Homes for Ukraine program conducted a survey to assess how long current sponsors wanted the hosting arrangement with Ukrainian refugees to last. 24% of respondents said they were ready to help with housing for more than six months, but not for longer than a year. 23% said they were ready to help for longer than a year. There was no mention of any expulsion of Ukrainians from Britain in the survey.
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Fake: Ukraine’s National Bank Admits Gold and Foreign Exchange Reserves Transferred to Poland

Aug 18, 2022
The Deputy Chairman of Ukraine’s National Bank never said that Ukraine transferred its gold and foreign exchange reserves to Poland. According to the Ukrainian National Bank, the reserves remain where they have always been, as different financial instruments in several international banks.
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Manipulation: European Countries Reneging on Military Promises to Ukraine

Aug 18, 2022
A recent Politico article has given rise to Russian propagandist manipulation about European promises to Ukraine. The article makes no mention about discarded European promises and focuses on two problems: the current depletion of weapons stocks in those countries that have been actively helping Ukraine since the beginning of the war, and the delay in the transfer of weapons from Germany and France to Ukraine. Because of this, six European countries did not make new weapons commitments in July, however, they did not renounce their previous ones. A pause in military transfers is not a point of no return, it is just that, a pause, to be renewed in the future.
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Fake: Ukraine’s Melitopol University Asks to Be Recognized as Russian

Aug 17, 2022
Melitopol, the second largest city of the Zaporizhzhia region has four higher education institutions, two universities and two institutes. None of them have asked to be recognized as Russian. Russian occupying forces have seized university infrastructure and property in both Melitopol and the port city of Berdiansk and are trying to position these seized properties as “Melitopol University”.
FRANCE 24 Observers’ guide to verifying images

FRANCE 24 Observers’ guide to verifying images

Aug 16, 2022
Since 2018, the FRANCE 24 Observers team has been sharing tips for helping you to verify images that circulate online yourself. In this guide, we’ll explain how to avoid falling into online traps – whether they involve photos or videos taken out of context or ones that have been actually doctored. We’ll keep updating this guide, to keep you up to date on verification tools available for public use.
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Fake: Kyiv Tests Dangerous Drugs on Own Citizens

Aug 15, 2022
Russian media are interpreting routine clinical trials of high blood pressure and rheumatoid arthritis drugs as an evil experiment on Ukrainian citizens. In these phase II drug effectiveness clinical studies, the trial participants were taking an already well-studied, potentially effective drug to treat their ailments. The clinical trials that Russian media are raising an alarm about are mentioned in published documents and are not a secret – they have passed all stages of verification and were carried out under the supervision of the Ukrainian Health Ministry’s State Expert Center. Information about the drugs and the trials can be found on the Ministry of Health State Expert Center website Information on clinical trials in Ukraine.
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Fake: Ukrainians Want “Referendums” on Russia Occupied Territories

Aug 15, 2022
In Ukraine, under wartime conditions, it is forbidden to hold elections, amend legislation or the Constitution, or conduct referendums. Russian-organized “Referendums” held at gunpoint can in no way be considered a voluntary expression of will.
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Manipulation: Pentagon Says Ukraine Should “No Longer Expect” HIMARS and Missiles

Aug 15, 2022
US Defense Department spokesman Colin Kahl did not state that Ukraine would no longer receive HIMARS. Just as before, the US continues to comprehensively support Ukraine in the war unleashed by Russia. At the same time, the US administration is assessing what type of weapons are needed at the moment and can be delivered promptly. Presently the Pentagon considers that enough HIMARS systems were provided, and believes that right now it is worth focusing on organising a continuous ammunition supply for HIMARS and other multiple rocket launchers.
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Manipulation: Ukrainian Grain Exported to the West, Not Needy African Countries

Aug 15, 2022
Most of the cargo ships that have managed to leave Ukrainian ports to date are commercial vessels carrying grain, purchased under commercial contracts that were concluded before the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The United Nations believes that commercial trade plays a big role in stabilizing the global market even if that trade does not go directly to countries facing food shortages. The UN World Food Program is making efforts to deliver Ukrainian grain directly to those African countries where there is hunger. To that end the organization chartered the Brave Commander cargo ship carrying 23,000 metric tons of grain from the Ukrainian port Pivdennyi to Ethiopia.
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4 Nuclear Fakes: Russia’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Lies at the UN Security Council

Aug 13, 2022
The UN Security Council, convened by Russia on August 11 to discuss the situation around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), became another opportunity for Russia to spread disinformation against Ukraine. The ZNPP is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, it is located in Enerhodar, 120 kilometers south of the regional capital of Zaporizhzhia, and has been temporarily occupied by Russian troops since March of this year. Speaking at the session, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Vasiliy Nebenzya declared the urgency to “stop the Kyiv regime” and accused Ukraine of “attacking nuclear infrastructure facilities.” This time the Russian lies were based on four propaganda messages (outlined here).
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Fake: European Parliament Finds No Evidence Russia Sponsors Terrorism

Aug 13, 2022
Russian media claims that the European Parliament found no evidence that Russia sponsors terrorism is the opinion of only one parliamentarian – Gunnar Beck, a member of the pro-Russian Alternative für Deutschland (Alternative for Germany) party. Beck however did not say anything about the European Parliament and its decisions regarding Russia and terrorism.
Yes, Russian court gave US teen only months in prison for marijuana smuggling – but basketball star Griner got nine years for lesser crime – Africa Check

Yes, Russian court gave US teen only months in prison for marijuana smuggling – but basketball star Griner got nine years for lesser crime – Africa Check

Aug 12, 2022
A Russian court sentenced Brittney Griner, a basketball star from the US, to nine years in prison for bringing a small amount of marijuana into the country. By contrast, US teenager Audrey Lorber was given a slap on the wrist for a slightly more serious case of the same crime.
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Manipulation: EU Demands Ukraine Make Concessions to Russia, Says Former Foreign Affairs Advisor

Aug 11, 2022
On the contrary, former EU foreign affairs advisor Nathalie Tocci urges EU countries to maintain their unity and warns against any concessions to Russia, especially if hostilities in Ukraine diminish. Tocci emphasises that when the violence subsides, the West must show its true resilience and redouble its support for Kyiv, not only to ensure that Russia loses this war, but that Ukraine actually wins it.
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Manipulation: Most Ukrainian Refugees Fled to Russia, says UNHCR

Aug 11, 2022
The propagandists failed to mention that the data submitted to the UN with comes with an explanatory footnote. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees noted that these numbers are merely estimates and there is no information on how many of those Ukrainians who left for Russia later returned back home. For those living in the temporarily occupied territories, leaving through Russia is one of the very few ways of escaping Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Fake: Poroshenko Planning Military Coup in Ukraine

Aug 10, 2022
Russian propagandists are using a recent Le Monde article about former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko possibly using his military activities as a campaign slogan in the upcoming elections as a military coup plan. The article does not mention any such plans or make any assumptions about him preparing a military coup in Ukraine.
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Fake: Ukrainian Flags Banned in Spanish Refugee Center

Aug 10, 2022
The owners of Epic Gym in Benalmadena, Spain, whose building features on a photograph being disseminated by Russian media and officials, say they have never had anti-Ukrainian graffiti on their wall. Photo verifications apps also show the picture has been doctored.
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Fake: Ukrainians Selling Switchblade 300 Drones on Darknet

Aug 10, 2022
The alleged Switchblade 300 sale ads use photos of two different Switchblade drones, both of which were damaged and shot down in Syria in the past decade. These photographs first appeared on the web six and seven years ago, respectively.