Fact check: Russia’s influence on Africa
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?
Source type Fact check / debunking
Read MoreFact check: Russia’s influence on Africa
No, Elijah Wood did not urge Volodymyr Zelensky to seek treatment for alleged addictions
A video has been circulating online that allegedly shows "Lord of the Rings" actor Elijah Wood giving the Ukrainian president advice on how to tackle his alleged drug and alcohol addictions. He can be seen recording himself and talking to a so-called "Vladimir". However, the video has been heavily edited and his agent has confirmed it was not published by the actor.
VIDEOFAKE: A new robot of the British Royal Forces has arrived in Ukraine
The OSCE did not confirm the facts of illegal transplantologists operating in Ukraine in 2014 and generally lacks evidence regarding possible organ removal in eastern Ukraine. On October 30, 2014, the organization issued an official refutation. It states that during one of the sessions of the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meetings (HDIM), two Russian non-governmental organizations quoted reports of possible organ removal and sale of human organs in eastern Ukraine. In response to this, a representative of the Ukrainian government stated that these accusations would be investigated as soon as greater access to the region becomes possible. This situation was described by the OSCE Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues, Madina Jarbussynova, for Ukrainian media. Later, her words were taken out of context in Russian media.
Fake: Wikipedia Article Shows Kyiv Knew in Advance Odesa Transfiguration Cathedral Strike
Information about the destruction of the Odesa Transfiguration Cathedral
appeared in the Wikipedia article about the church shortly after it became
clear which buildings were damaged by the Russian attack on Odesa during
the night of July 23. Ukrainian Wikipedia administrator Anatoliy Lutsyuk
explains that the editing history of Wikipedia uses UTC time, which
currently is three hours ahead of Kyiv time.
Fake: Russia Has Never Used Cluster Bombs Against Ukraine
Numerous reports from international human rights organizations prove that
since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has
regularly deployed cluster bombs against Ukrainian civilians and Ukrainian
civilian infrastructure. One such cluster munitions attack was the April
8, 2022, Russian missile strike on the Kramatorsk railway station, which
killed at least 58 civilians and injured some 100 people.
Fake: Ukraine Secretly Transplants Soldiers’ Organs
Ukrainian legislation has prohibited organ transplants of servicemen who
died during hostilities in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions since 2019. A
new draft law under review is designed to clarify previously adopted norms,
broadening the ban on organ removal from servicemen who died in the line of
duty anywhere in Ukraine, where hostilities are taking place.
Did Elijah Wood Tell Zelensky via Instagram to Go to Rehab?
Apart from the fact that the video has been bizarrely edited, it does not mention Zelensky, only someone named Vladimir, and is attributed to an Instagram account with no web presence.
Elijah Wood does not have a public Instagram account and the video being shared of him online, allegedly asking Zelensky to seek treatment, is the only recording available. The video appears to have been spread as a Russian propaganda effort and to promote a dubious documentary that falsely credits Tom Cruise as its star.
Although Newsweek is yet to hear from Wood's representatives for comment, we are confident that the video and claims surrounding it are, respectively, inauthentic and false.
Fake: Zelenskyy’s office is discussing splitting up Ukraine
The Ukrainian government has repeatedly emphasized that it is not going to cede its territory to Russia for peace. For Ukraine, there is only one acceptable way to end the Russian war: the undisputed victory of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the de-occupation of all Ukrainian lands.
Joe Rogan Claims U.S. Accidentally Sent $6.2 Billion to Ukraine
The U.S. did not accidentally send $6.2 billion to Ukraine. An overestimation of the cost of some military hardware meant that $6.2 billion was not spent in the transfer of U.S. stocks to Ukraine.
While the DOD has said that this can now be used toward future stock drawdowns authorized by the president, that does not mean $6.2 billion has been sent accidentally, and all that implies, to Ukraine.
Fake: Sumy Region Residents are Compelled to Pay for “Forced Evacuation”
These reports are a complete fabrication. Evacuation from the border areas of Sumy region has not yet begun. The local authorities are still compiling lists of those willing to move to safer regions, after which free transfers and accommodation will be organized for internally displaced persons (IDPs). Sumy Regional Military Administration emphasizes that there will be no emergency or forced evacuation. If someone decides to refuse to be evacuated, it is enough to write a request.