Category Military aid

What we can VERIFY about bans on cluster bombs and whether using them is a war crime

Cluster munitions that the U.S. is sending to Ukraine are banned in more than 100 countries. The use of cluster bombs can be a war crime in some cases.

Countries that haven't ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions treaty, such as the United States, Russia and Ukraine, can use cluster bombs without violating international law.

However, there are some cases where the use of cluster bombs by any country could violate international law and be considered a war crime. These include attacks that indiscriminately target civilians.

Read MoreWhat we can VERIFY about bans on cluster bombs and whether using them is a war crime

Does the Ukrainian Military Display a ‘Nazi Cross’ on Some Vehicles or Tanks? | Snopes.com

The cross at issue in the viral video is neither a modern-era German Iron Cross nor the simple cross used as an indicator by the Ukrainian army. It is true that variants similar to the cross in the viral video had been used by the Nazis in World War II.

This type of cross has a specific history in Ukraine, however, that predated its use in Nazi Germany. A guerrilla warfare campaign carried out by the Ukrainian National Army against the Red Army and other forces from 1919 to 1920 is known as the First Winter Campaign. [...] A "steel cross," as it is sometimes described in Ukraine, was the symbol of that Winter Campaign - the military award given for participation in these campaigns contained that equidistant cross.

In 2019, a Ukrainian military unit that has been fighting in the Donbas region of Ukraine since 2014 - the 28th Mechanized Infantry Brigade - was renamed "Knights of the First Winter Campaign." That Brigade's insignia, approved by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, presently contains this same cross. [...]

While one could debate the merits of using a symbol that has since become complicated by its use in other contexts, there is no reason to interpret such cross's use in Ukraine as a reference to Nazism.

Read MoreDoes the Ukrainian Military Display a ‘Nazi Cross’ on Some Vehicles or Tanks? | Snopes.com

No, the U.S. didn’t ‘accidentally’ send an extra $6 billion to Ukraine

No, the U.S. government did not accidentally send an extra $6 billion to Ukraine.

This viral claim takes what actually happened completely out of context. The U.S. actually sent about $6 billion less than it intended in military equipment to Ukraine – not $6 billion more.

That happened because the Pentagon overestimated the value of military equipment sent to the country, meaning it was worth about $6 billion less than originally estimated.

Read MoreNo, the U.S. didn’t ‘accidentally’ send an extra $6 billion to Ukraine

FACT CHECK: No, Zelenskyy Did Not Say He Did Not Know Who Blew Up The Kerch Bridge | Check Your Fact

A video shared on Twitter claims Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy said he did not know who blew up the Kerch Bridge.

Verdict: False
Zelenskyy was discussing Ukraine obtaining the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), not the attack on the Kerch Bridge.

Read MoreFACT CHECK: No, Zelenskyy Did Not Say He Did Not Know Who Blew Up The Kerch Bridge | Check Your Fact

No, this video doesn’t show a Russian airstrike on a NATO arms convoy

A video of a massive fire circulated widely on social media in late April along with captions claiming it showed a strike by the Russian army on a NATO weapons convoy en route to Ukraine. It turns out, however, that this is an old video that wasn't filmed anywhere near Ukraine.

Read MoreNo, this video doesn’t show a Russian airstrike on a NATO arms convoy

No, Russia didn’t capture a US Patriot missile launcher to give to China

Did Russia really capture a bunch of US missiles in Ukraine and give them to China? No, but posts featuring that bit of fake news have been garnering thousands of views on social media since May 13. Many of these posts feature a photo said to show these missiles in China. While the photo was indeed taken in China, it actually shows a non-operational replica of these missiles, according to military experts interviewed by our team.

Read MoreNo, Russia didn’t capture a US Patriot missile launcher to give to China

No, this video doesn’t show a Russian air strike on a NATO arms convoy

A video of a massive fire circulated widely on social media in late April along with captions claiming it showed a strike by the Russian army on a NATO weapons convoy en route to Ukraine. However, it turns out that this is an old video that wasn't filmed anywhere near Ukraine.

Read MoreNo, this video doesn’t show a Russian air strike on a NATO arms convoy

Debunking false rumours that Ukraine sold Russia its French-made artillery – Truth or Fake

Social media users have been sharing false claims that the Ukrainian army sold two of the heavy-duty CAESAR howitzers - given by France - to Russia for $120,000 per unit. In this edition of Truth or Fake with Vedika Bahl, we look into the source of these rumours - which are based on false posts from two years ago - and why the outlet behind them is not trustworthy.

Read MoreDebunking false rumours that Ukraine sold Russia its French-made artillery – Truth or Fake

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