Category Fact checks / debunkings

Deadly Kramatorsk missile was Russian – not Ukrainian

On June 28, 2023, a Russian missile hit a crowded restaurant in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk. 13 people died in this attack, including at least 3 children and a leading Ukrainian poet and author (as of July 3).

As with pretty much every major strike on civilians, to add insult to injury, false stories immediately began being circulated by pro-Russian influencers online.

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No, weapons for Ukraine were not used in French riots

A false rumor on Twitter has been traced by the BBC back to pro-Kremlin propaganda channels.

The deliberately misleading Twitter post falsely claims that weapons possibly among those sent to Ukraine were used against police in the recent riots in France (summer 2023). The attached image shows a fabricated “screenshot” of a non-existent news article.

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Was Russian Soldier Blown Up Bashing Tank With Artillery Shell?

Was Russian Soldier Blown Up Bashing Tank With Artillery Shell?

The video shared on Twitter has been edited. The explosion seen in the film is a video effect, available on TikTok.

The original video, which has been shared on other social media for at least seven months, shows the soldier using the shell to hammer a component into the tank before turning and smiling at a group behind him.

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Is RFK Jr. Right That U.S. Has Sent $113 Billion to Ukraine?

Is RFK Jr. Right That U.S. Has Sent $113 Billion to Ukraine?

While Congress has allocated $113 billion worth of spending toward Ukraine, analysis of that spending shows that a significant proportion will not go directly to Kyiv.

Analysis by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, which tracks U.S. spending in Ukraine, has suggested the total direct spend to be around $77 billion.

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Did RFK Jr. Use Russian Photo in Campaign Ad?

Did RFK Jr. Use Russian Photo in Campaign Ad?

The photo used in the Kennedy campaign ad is from a picture used to help illustrate designs for online stores. The same retouched photo has been used by multiple online outlets.

While Newsweek was unable to find the location of the store, it does appear to have been shot in Russia or a Russian-speaking region.

However, there is no suggestion the choice of the photo was deliberate and is far likelier to have been an oversight of the RFK Jr. campaign team. Other photos the campaign has used for its merchandise were also shot in other locations around the world.

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