Latest fact checks & sources

President Donald Trump claimed on social media on Sunday that “UKRAINE ‘LEADERSHIP’ HAS EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS” in relation to the war there. Trump’s claim is not even close to accurate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed gratitude to the United States on dozens of occasions – 78 examples are listed below – since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of his country in early 2022. And Zelensky has repeatedly expressed gratitude to Trump personally since Trump was elected again last fall.

Did President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy invest $500 million or $1.5 billion “of his own money” in “a ski resort in Western Ukraine”? No, that’s not true: Social media posts misattribute publicly known investment amounts about such a project. Talking to Lead Stories, the project’s developer denied not only Zelenskyy’s participation but also the presence of any direct government funding. Investment firm BlackRock, named in social media posts as one of the key investors, denied any involvement, too. Lead Stories found no credible sources linking Zelenskyy’s personal money to the Ukrainian ski resort project.

The Bonpertuis plant didn’t fall victim to anti-Russia sanctions, but to the broader slump in Europe’s steel sector – a squeeze that has left smaller mills unable to absorb soaring costs or finance the large-scale investments required to stay competitive.

Claim: Images authentically show dogs with blue fur near the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine. Rating: True. Context: Dr. Jennifer Betz, medical director for the Dogs of Chernobyl program, said there is a “0% chance that the blue color is related to radiation.”

Claim by Viral social media post: Zelenskyy is Faking Blackouts to Secure More European Aid StopFake rating: Outages across Ukrainian cities stem from voltage fluctuations and emergency shutdowns triggered by Russia’s systematic strikes on the country’s civilian energy infrastructure.

StopFake Fake: Charlie Hebdo Mocked Macron’s Ukraine Policy and Pokrovsk … Claim by Viral social media post: Charlie Hebdo Mocked Macron’s Ukraine Policy and Pokrovsk Fighting StopFake rating: The covers are entirely fabricated; the French magazine has never published the cartoons in question.

Claim by Viral social media post: Bloomberg Published an Infographic Showing How Zelensky “Looted” France StopFake rating: Bloomberg did not post such an infographic.

The video of a Ukrainian soldier, circulating on social media, is AI-generated. It contains several flaws indicating the use of artificial intelligence. The original source of the video is a TikTok account that has posted a number of similar AI-generated videos.

Claim on x.com: These are real videos of Ukrainian soldiers surrendering in the town of Pokrovsk. Lead Stories rating: AI Generated

Claim by Viral social media post: Ukrainian Gang Stole Chairs from Spanish Restaurants StopFake rating: The story is true. Yet none of the media publications mention the nationality of the perpetrators. [No indication that they are Ukrainian.]

The quote attributed to Olena Zelenska is false. A similar phrase appeared in a 2022 BBC interview, but there she spoke not about enduring harsh conditions for 20-30 years or about joining NATO, but about 2-3 years and the prospect of joining the European Union

A historic tower in central Rome did not collapse because Italy “sent all its money to Ukraine.” The medieval Torre dei Conti fell during fully funded restoration work. Italian authorities are investigating the incident as a workplace accident and possible negligence.

Claim by Multiple sources: Picture of fire at Russian gas plant in Orenburg on October 19, 2025 AFP Fact Check rating: False

Claim by Viral social media post: Ukraine Lost a Billion Dollars by Signing a Contract With an “American Weapon Store” – FT StopFake rating: The Financial Times did not write that Ukraine lost a billion dollars on this deal. The newspaper only reported on the arms supply contract that Ukraine signed with an Arizona company in the first months of the full-scale invasion. The company was never able to fulfill it due to the lack of experience in such large-scale deliveries. The irresponsible supplier received 17 million euros in advance, but Ukraine successfully sued for this money after the contract was canceled.

Claim by Viral social media post: Canada Backtracks on Plan to Send Repaired Armored Vehicles to Ukraine StopFake rating: Pro-Kremlin outlets have distorted the facts, portraying a routine contract adjustment as a sign that Ottawa is “abandoning” Kyiv. In truth, Canada remains a steadfast supporter of Ukraine – continuing to deliver weapons, train Ukrainian forces, and finance key defense initiatives.

Claim by ukraina.ru: Zelensky Blocked Trump-Putin Meeting StopFake rating: Kyiv flatly contradicted the narrative, with the Ukrainian President underscoring his support for diplomatic negotiations and asserting his readiness to participate in a prospective Trump-Putin summit.

Claim by Viral social media post: Zelensky Said He “No Longer Feels Welcome in the U.S.” After Meeting With Trump StopFake rating: The quote attributed to President Volodymyr Zelensky, claiming he “no longer feels like a welcome guest in the United States,” is entirely fabricated. No such remark appears in official transcripts, press releases, or credible media coverage. In reality, Zelensky’s statements following his meeting with Donald Trump were measured, underscoring Ukraine’s willingness to maintain constructive dialogue and cooperation with Washington.

This photo is real. The first ladies met at the UN General Assembly in late September and discussed the protection of Ukrainian children. […] However, this accusation against the Ukrainian media is completely unfounded. First, the photos are not identical: Melania Trump’s facial expression and leg position are different in the photos. And secondly, the US First Lady took joint photos with Olena Zelenska and the Queen of Jordan on the same day, which is why she is wearing the same white suit. […] There are no signs of editing on the photo with Zelenska.

A review of broadcast recordings and digital forensics shows the claim doesn’t hold up. Ukrainian networks aired the official UN feed, while the version circulating online – showing a packed audience – was manipulated footage. […] A review of the original United News broadcast – including the 1+1 TV segment – found no evidence of any ‘added’ audience. […] The authentic broadcast carried unmistakable identifiers – the UN logo in the upper right corner and a Ukrainian-language audio track. By contrast, the fabricated version omitted these details, featured an English-language narration, and bore visible traces of AI manipulation.

The International Legion firmly denied any role in the appearance of the leaflets. Their limited distribution – confined to a single district of Berlin – points to a staged provocation designed to discredit Ukraine and its armed forces. […] Notably, the leaflets appeared only in a single Berlin district and carried an overtly propagandistic message – an appeal to a ‘sense of revenge.’ […] The press service of the International Legion of Defence of Ukraine told StopFake it had no connection to the creation, distribution, or promotion of the leaflets.