BBC: What is Russia’s Wagner group of mercenaries and why did it march on Moscow?
BBC article: Introduction to the Wagner Group, in the wake of their failed coup attempt against Putin (24 June, 2023)
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CNBC: What is the Wagner Group? A look at the mercenary group led by man accused of ‘armed mutiny’ in Russia
An introduction to the Wagner Group, with many links to high-quality sources.
NPR: After its march toward Moscow, what’s next for Russia’s Wagner Group?
NPR summarizes the status of the Wagner Group, a few days after their coup attempt against Putin (24 June, 2023).
These videos do not show clashes between the Wagner Group and Russian forces
In the aftermath of the armed rebellion attempt by Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner mercenary group against the Russian army command on Saturday June 24, people began sharing images online purporting to show the two sides fighting. But at least two of these videos were taken from the video game Arma 3 - and it's not the first time this military video game has been used to spread misinformation.
Manipulation: UN Accuses Ukrainian Security Forces of Torturing Civilians
The UN report on the detention of civilians during Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine focuses mainly on the atrocities committed by the Russian military on the territory of Ukraine. The report documents more than 900 cases of arbitrary detention of civilians, including children and the elderly. The "vast majority" of these cases were committed by the Russian Federation. Moreover, executions committed by Russian troops are equated with a war crime. No such executions have been recorded on the Ukrainian side.
Fake: Relatives of a Deceased Soldier Booed
The relatives of the deceased Ukrainian soldier were not booed. The video
where screams could be heard was taken at a protest near the Resurrection
Church in the city of Krasyliv. The memorial service for the deceased
Ukrainian soldier was held in the same city, but in the Holy Trinity Church
of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Chinese influencer impersonates Russian soldier using deepfake filter – Truth or Fake
An man posing as "Paul Kochadie" fooled over 400,000 followers on his Douyin account (TikTok's equivalent in China) by using artificial intelligence to pretend to be a Russian soldier on the Ukrainian frontline. This man, who sent "daily" updates about the war in Ukraine, was neither Russian nor a soldier, but instead a resident of Henan, China. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.
Fact check: Do these videos show Wagner battles in Russia?
The world held its breath as Wagner forces advanced on Moscow and their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, seemed to challenge President Vladimir Putin. Many videos claim to show clashes between both sides, but not all are real.
Fake: Zelenskyy Refused to Hold Elections And Seized Power in Ukraine
"Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not refuse to hold elections in Ukraine. The Constitution of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine “On the Legal Regime of Martial Law” expressly prohibit holding any elections to the executive and legislative branches of government during wartime."
Fake: Zelenskyy Refused to Hold Elections And Seized Power in Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not refuse to hold elections in Ukraine. The Constitution of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine "On the Legal Regime of Martial Law" expressly prohibit holding any elections to the executive and legislative branches of government during wartime.
