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.

FACT CHECK: Facebook Video Does Not Show Ukrainian Soldiers ‘Faking Combat’

FACT CHECK: Facebook Video Does Not Show Ukrainian Soldiers ‘Faking Combat’

Mar 5, 2025
Verdict: False. The video shows a behind-the-scenes look at a music video for a song called “Brothers” by Misha Scorpion and Vitsik, not Ukrainian soldiers “faking combat.”
FACT CHECK: Did Zelenskyy Use An Expletive In Reference To Trump Ahead Of Downing Street Meeting?

FACT CHECK: Did Zelenskyy Use An Expletive In Reference To Trump Ahead Of Downing Street Meeting?

Mar 5, 2025
Verdict: False The video originally stems from TikTok and was likely edited with artificial intelligence (AI), according to Snopes. A video shared on X indicates Zelenskyy responded to a question from a reporter about his trip to the U.K.
Was Donald Trump recruited by the KGB under codename ‘Krasnov’?

Was Donald Trump recruited by the KGB under codename ‘Krasnov’?

Mar 5, 2025
The rumour that Donald Trump was a Soviet spy that went by the name “Agent Krasnov” has been spreading online since February, after a former KGB agent claimed on facebook that Trump was recruited by them in 1987. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.
Trump Exaggerates on U.S. and European Aid to Ukraine, Loans

Trump Exaggerates on U.S. and European Aid to Ukraine, Loans

Mar 4, 2025
Mark Cancian, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, told us in an email that “Trump’s citation of $350 billion is double what Congress has appropriated.” Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Congress has passed five spending bills to provide support to Ukraine, totaling about $174.2 billion, as we’ve explained before in fact-checking this and other claims Trump has made about Ukraine and Zelenskky. Each of those five measures passed with bipartisan support. […] As for Trump’s claim that Europe provided its aid to Ukraine in the “form of a loan, they get their money back,” that’s an exaggeration. Only a portion of European aid is in the form of loans.
Viral Photos Of Zelenskyy In Suit Predate 2022 Russian Invasion Of Ukraine

Viral Photos Of Zelenskyy In Suit Predate 2022 Russian Invasion Of Ukraine

Mar 4, 2025
Claim: Volodymyr Zelenskyy wore a suit while meeting Emmanuel Macron and Klaus Schwab, but opted for a non-formal sweatshirt during his visit to the Oval Office. Fact: Photos of Zelenskyy with Macron and Schwab were taken prior to the Russian invasion of February 2022.
Video doesn’t show Zelenskyy using expletive about Trump outside 10 Downing Street

Video doesn’t show Zelenskyy using expletive about Trump outside 10 Downing Street

Mar 4, 2025
However, Zelenskyy did not use any expletives about Trump when speaking to journalists during the walk from his motorcade to greet Starmer. The claim is false. Further, the video exhibited potential signs that its originator used an artificial-intelligence tool to create many of its elements. An unedited video (archived) showing the same moment featured an unidentified reporter asking, “Mr. President, how was the trip? How do you feel?,” and Zelenskyy responding, “Ok. Thank you so much.”
No, photo doesn’t show Zelenskyy and wife posing with stacks of money

No, photo doesn’t show Zelenskyy and wife posing with stacks of money

Mar 4, 2025
Claim: A photograph authentically showed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and first lady Olena Zelenska posing in front of stacks of money. Rating: Fake
Yes, former Polish president Lech Walesa wrote letter to Trump about pausing military aid to Ukraine

Yes, former Polish president Lech Walesa wrote letter to Trump about pausing military aid to Ukraine

Mar 4, 2025
Claim: Former President of Poland Lech Wałęsa wrote a letter to Donald Trump criticizing the U.S. President’s decision to suspend the delivery of all U.S. military aid to Ukraine. Rating: True
The facts behind claims a Norwegian fuel supplier stopped servicing US Navy ships

The facts behind claims a Norwegian fuel supplier stopped servicing US Navy ships

Mar 4, 2025
According to Norwegian news reports, Haltbakk Bunkers, a Norwegian oil and shipping company, indeed posted on Facebook after the Zelenskyy-Trump meeting that it would no longer supply American forces in Norway. However, that post was later deleted for reasons that were unknown. We’ve reached out to the company to independently verify the Norwegian news outlets’ reporting and are waiting for a response. In other words, there was no primary evidence to confirm the alleged Facebook post by Haltbakk Bunkers, which said it had stopped providing fuel to American ships. Furthermore, it was unclear whether, or how many, ships were affected by the purported decision.
What we know about video of man walking his dog being forced into van to serve in Ukraine military

What we know about video of man walking his dog being forced into van to serve in Ukraine military

Mar 4, 2025
The Facebook page of a Ukrainian military recruitment center offered context after users responded angrily to the video. [… T]he post’s author alleged the man walking the dog had repeatedly attempted to avoid military service. If he was of eligible age, such avoidance would violate a 2024 Ukrainian law requiring men between 18 and 60 to register for service and always carry registration documents on their person. The law stated only men aged 25 to 60 remain eligible for mobilization, though Ukrainian officials also explored reforms for younger men. The post also said one of the officials visible in the video accompanied the man’s dog back to its owner’s home, and that, due to the man’s love of his pet, they assigned him to one of the military’s canine units. The post provided no further information or evidence to support its claims, and the center had not yet respond to an emailed request for comment.
Trump Exaggerates on U.S. and European Aid to Ukraine, Loans

Trump Exaggerates on U.S. and European Aid to Ukraine, Loans

Mar 4, 2025
As President Donald Trump has sought to secure rights to Ukraine’s minerals as compensation for U.S. aid to fight the Russian invasion, he has repeatedly overstated the amount of aid provided by the U.S. compared with Europe and exaggerated the extent to which European assistance – unlike U.S. aid – is in the form of guaranteed loans.
Fake: WSJ Reports Zelenskyy Faces Five Federal Criminal Charges in U.S

Fake: WSJ Reports Zelenskyy Faces Five Federal Criminal Charges in U.S

Mar 4, 2025
Neither the Wall Street Journal nor AMVETS have reported such information. The U.S. has no authority to prosecute a foreign leader because of sovereign immunity.
Ukraine’s army wrongly accused of staging war footage

Ukraine’s army wrongly accused of staging war footage

Mar 4, 2025
Users are now sharing a viral video claiming to show crisis actors faking injuries for the Ukrainian army in order to “solicit” more money from allies. We debunk these claims in this edition of Truth or Fake.
Fact Check: Photo of a suited Zelenskiy at WEF summit predates Ukraine war

Fact Check: Photo of a suited Zelenskiy at WEF summit predates Ukraine war

Mar 4, 2025
VERDICT: Misleading. The image was taken in January 2020, two years before Russia invaded Ukraine and Zelenskiy ditched suits for wartime attire.
Fact Check: Music video BTS goes viral as Ukrainian soldiers fake combat for US funds

Fact Check: Music video BTS goes viral as Ukrainian soldiers fake combat for US funds

Mar 3, 2025
Claim: Ukraine was caught faking combat scenes to ask for more money from the US. Fact: This video does not show Ukrainian soldiers creating fake combat scenes. It’s a behind-the-scenes shot from a music video.
Zelenskyy met with Democrats – and Republicans – before his meeting with Trump

Zelenskyy met with Democrats – and Republicans – before his meeting with Trump

Mar 3, 2025
Claim: On Feb. 28, 2025, before a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Democrats who convinced him to reject a deal that would allow the U.S. to exploit minerals in Ukraine in exchange for U.S. support in Ukraine’s war with Russia. Rating: Mixture. What’s True: Zelenskyy did meet with Democratic U.S. senators … What’s False: … but that meeting also included at least three Republican senators. Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, emphatically rejected claims that the Democrats of the U.S. Senate delegation had dissuaded Zelenskyy from taking the minerals deal. Further, Zelenskyy confirmed to reporters two days after the meeting that his country was ready to accept the deal.
Unpacking claim Zelenskyy called Vance an expletive at White House meeting

Unpacking claim Zelenskyy called Vance an expletive at White House meeting

Mar 3, 2025
[T]he audio of the available recording of the meeting was not clear enough to prove without doubt what Zelenskyy said, other than that it began with an “s” sound. In other words, it’s possible the Ukrainian president said “suka” – Ukrainian for “b****” – or a term including the word, but it’s also possible that he said something completely different.