Category Fact checks / debunkings

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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Fake: Zaluzhny Calls Ukraine’s Counteroffensive a Clown show

The Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny did not say
that the Ukrainian counteroffensive had turned into a clown show. He only
emphasized that despite the lack of crucial weapons and equipment, the
Ukrainian military are gaining ground every day.

Read MoreFake: Zaluzhny Calls Ukraine’s Counteroffensive a Clown show
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.

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

Read MoreThese videos do not show clashes between the Wagner Group and Russian forces

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.

Read MoreManipulation: UN Accuses Ukrainian Security Forces of Torturing Civilians

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.

Read MoreFake: Relatives of a Deceased Soldier Booed