Category Fact checks / debunkings

U.S. spending in Afghanistan dwarfs aid to Ukraine

Congress has approved about $111 billion in aid to Ukraine since the country was invaded by Russia in February 2022. During a 20-year entanglement in Afghanistan, the U.S. spent between $825 billion and $2.3 trillion, depending on the source of the estimate and what's being included. Even taking the lower estimate of $825 billion, the U.S. would have spent $714 billion more in Afghanistan than in aid to Ukraine. We rate the claim that the amount the U.S. has spent in Ukraine is "double the U.S. expenditure for its own war in Afghanistan" False.
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FACT CHECK: Did NATO Undertake ‘Operation Justice’ To Intervene In Ukraine? | Check Your Fact

Verdict: False There is no evidence NATO has undertaken “Operation Justice.” Check Your Fact has previously debunked claims that NATO is intervening in Ukraine.
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Fabricated story falsely claims Vladimir Putin destroyed an adrenochrome lab in Ukraine

This story was fabricated. It appeared on Real Raw News, a site that regularly publishes false, fantastical stories authored by someone using a pseudonym. Real Raw News stories are authored by someone using a pseudonym and the site has a disclaimer saying it contains "humor, parody and satire," though the author has defended his stories as truth. We found no credible news reports or other sources to corroborate the claims in this post. QAnon promotes a number of conspiracy theories that invoke pedophilia and a Democratic cabal. QAnon adherents were present during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. These ideas also infiltrated political discourse as recently as the 2022 midterm elections. We rate this claim Pants on Fire!
Read MoreFabricated story falsely claims Vladimir Putin destroyed an adrenochrome lab in Ukraine

The War in Ukraine: A Collection of Fact Checks About Volodymyr Zelenskyy | Snopes.com

As the war in Ukraine raged on in early 2023, rumors about the country's president rage with it. From claims about his career, to rumors about illicit drug use, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a magnet for doctored images, misinformation, and more. Continue below for a collection of stories about the Ukraine president's history before and after the war began.
Read MoreThe War in Ukraine: A Collection of Fact Checks About Volodymyr Zelenskyy | Snopes.com

FACT CHECK: Did This Satirical Magazine Feature An Image Of Zelenskyy Stealing From Jesus? | Check Your Fact

Verdict: False The image is digitally fabricated. There is no evidence that Charlie Hebdo published this cover.
Read MoreFACT CHECK: Did This Satirical Magazine Feature An Image Of Zelenskyy Stealing From Jesus? | Check Your Fact

Five fact-checks about the war in Ukraine

Russia's invasion of Ukraine this year kept our fact-checkers very busy. We wrote 92 articles debunking false claims about information related to the war. These ranged from claims the Bucha massacre was staged to false TV reports and accusations of Nazism among Ukrainians. To mark the end of the year, we made a list of some of our top fact-checks about Ukraine.
Read MoreFive fact-checks about the war in Ukraine