Social media users are claiming a video shows the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shaking his body in a tight, sparkly one-piece outfit. This is false; the footage is of a performance given by an Argentine belly dancer and instructor and it appears to have been doctored to superimpose Zelensky's face.
The Verdict False
This was based on a mistranslation. Ulf Kristersson said the opposite: that there was no reason for having nuclear weapons in Sweden in peacetime.
Two photos have been shared in social media posts alongside false claims that they show the aftermath of British cargo ships bombed by the Russian air force in a port in Odesa in southern Ukraine on July 16, 2023. However, the photos were in fact taken in Libya and Indonesia respectively and predate Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Washington Post reports: "In a painstakingly slow process that has come to define the speed of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, small groups of sappers on the front lines are crawling across minefields — sometimes literally on their stomachs — to detonate Russia’s defenses and clear a path for troops to advance.
The long buildup to the counteroffensive, which began about a month ago across multiple segments of the battlefield in the country’s east and south, gave the Russians time to prepare, soldiers said. Areas between 3 and 10 miles deep in front of the Russians’ main strongholds have been densely mined with antitank and antipersonnel mines and trip wires. These defenses have been successful in stalling the Ukrainian advance, they said."
Uncover the truth behind Kremlin's claims of NATO's threat to Russia with Debunk.org's analysis on NATO's defensive stance and Russia's disinformation narrative.
Claim: "The Wagnerians are entering Poland as migrants - claims Polsat News," users posted on X (previously known as Twitter). They are referring to the Polish media outlet Polsat News as the alleged source of that information. "People are sure that illegal immigrants from Belarus are entering the country, who are in fact fighters of the PMC Wagner," one of the users adds.
DW fact check: Unproven
Russia seeks to gain influence in Africa in several ways, from disinformation campaigns to sending Wagner Group mercenaries. Why is Africa so important to Vladimir Putin?
It is illegal under Ukraine's constitution to hold elections while martial law is in effect. These rules predate President Zelensky's time in power.
This Foreign Policy article gives a detailed overview of why holding elections in wartime Ukraine would be not just illegal, but would also put millions of civilians at risk while lining up under Russian missiles. An election today would also disenfranchise many of the millions of Ukrainians who are displaced, abroad as refugees, under Russian occupation, or prisoners in Russia.
A project by Finnish academic Pekka Kallioniemi:
"#vatniksoup is a Twitter thread series (and a hashtag!) where I’ll introduce pro-Russian actors and propagandists from around the world, be they so-called “independent journalists”, politicians, military personnel or just regular grifters looking to get some easy money.
The series also has introductions and deeper insights on how online propaganda and disinformation works and is spread. For example, I’ll talk about troll farms, social media manipulation and Russia’s online information operations."
"On July 11, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda’s proposal to establish permanent military NATO bases near the Russian border, claiming that Russia never moved its military infrastructure westward.
That is false.
Below is a brief catalog of Russian military progress in Europe."