Category International community

Is Red Cross Funding Families of Mobilized Russians?

Is Red Cross Funding Families of Mobilized Russians?

As stated on its website the Russian Red Cross, an organization making up the international network of Red Cross societies, has been fundraising and providing support for Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine and their families. However, this does not mean that other Red Cross societies or its international organizing bodies have any part in its fundraising. The International Federation of Red Cross says it is guided by "impartiality", among its guiding principles.
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CNN didn’t report that Uganda’s president said it would be ‘disgusting’ to support Ukraine

Uganda's president came out as an early supporter of russia but this is not a real CNN headline. The post appears to be an altered screenshot of a 2014 story on CNN's website. The story features a paused video of Museveni in which he appears wearing the same outfit and in front of the same background as the image of him in the Instagram post. We found no credible news reports or other sources documenting Museveni as saying it would be disgusting to support Ukraine. We rate that claim False.
Read MoreCNN didn’t report that Uganda’s president said it would be ‘disgusting’ to support Ukraine
Did Fuel Crisis Force Berliners to Chop Trees in Tiergarten?

Did Fuel Crisis Force Berliners to Chop Trees in Tiergarten?

Germans have not been chopping down trees in Tiergarten, Berlin, to meet energy needs. The claim is a misquote from a Bloomberg article about firewood demand. While the article mentions that residents in the German capital did resort to felling parts of the park after the Second World War, the article clearly states that no such thing has happened today following Russia's shutdown of gas supplies to Europe. The misquote, however, has been widely shared by pro-Russian accounts to support their narrative about the energy crisis in Europe.
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Despite claims, Jackson, Mississippi, did get funding for its infrastructure. But it’s not a fix-all

When the Instagram post was shared, Congress was considering legislation that included $20 million in funding for Jackson, Mississippi's water infrastructure. The legislation passed Sept. 30. Much more funding will be needed to completely address the problems in Jackson. Our ruling An Instagram post says Ukraine got $12 billion more in funding but Jackson, Mississippi, has not received any. At the time the Instagram post was shared, Congress was considering legislation to provide money to both Ukraine and Jackson. The legislation passed Sept. 30 and was signed into law the same day, allocating $20 million to Jackson for its infrastructure. Much more funding will be needed to fully address the city's problems. But though the city might not have the money in hand yet because the funding was just approved, it's misleading to say the city was completely ignored. The claim contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression. We rate it Mostly False.
Read MoreDespite claims, Jackson, Mississippi, did get funding for its infrastructure. But it’s not a fix-all

FACT CHECK: Is Elon Musk Working With The U.S. Military To Provide Ukraine A New Hypersonic Jet? | Check Your Fact

Verdict: False There is no evidence of the purported claim on either the U.S. Department of Defense’s website or SpaceX’s website. Musk has also never publicly mentioned any such joint project with the U.S. military.
Read MoreFACT CHECK: Is Elon Musk Working With The U.S. Military To Provide Ukraine A New Hypersonic Jet? | Check Your Fact

Biden didn’t threaten to kill a former Ukrainian president

A phone call recording from 2016 between then-Vice President Joe Biden and then-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko was leaked in 2020, but as it recirculates in 2022, it's wrongly being used to claim Biden threatened to kill the former head of state. Biden, among other presidents, has used the term "physical security" regularly. In August, for example, Biden talked in a speech to the Democratic National Committee about the United States' need to plan its direction wisely to ensure "economic, political and physical security." As in the leaked phone call, Biden, speaking June 30 at a press conference in Madrid after a NATO summit, tied funding from the U.S. to aid Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion to the country's physical security. "But for it to end, they have to be in a position where … the Ukrainians have all that they can reasonably expect, we can reasonably expect to get to them, in order to … provide for their physical security and their defenses," he said. We rate claims Biden threatened to assassinate a former Ukrainian president Pants on Fire!
Read MoreBiden didn’t threaten to kill a former Ukrainian president

No, U.S. Army forces aren’t in Ukraine

U.S. Army members aren't in Ukraine, according to the Department of Defense. The Pentagon relocated National Guard members in February who were training Ukrainian military members in February. There were 160 Florida National Guard troops training Ukraine's military when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin temporarily relocated them to Europe in February. And 3,000 more American troops from the 82nd Airborne were also deployed to Europe from Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The National Guard has continued to support Ukrainian soldiers remotely, according to the Army. For example, a June article on the Army's website shares how a Ukrainian soldier called a member of the Washington Army National Guard for help with a failed anti-tank missile. But we rate claims that U.S. Army forces are stationed in Ukraine False.
Read MoreNo, U.S. Army forces aren’t in Ukraine