Category International community

Claim that the UN told staff not to use ‘war,’ ‘invasion’ to describe Ukraine conflict needs context

An email was sent on March 7 instructing some U.N. staff members not to use the words "war" or "invasion" when discussing the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The message came from a regional office without clearance and is not considered official U.N. policy, organization officials told PolitiFact. U.N. leaders including Secretary General António Guterres and Rosemary DiCarlo, the organization's under-secretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, used the words in tweets before and after the email was sent. Our ruling A Facebook post claims that the U.N. sent an email instructing staff not to use the words "invasion" or "war" when referring to Ukraine. The email is real and instructed some U.N. staff members not to use the terms. But it came from a regional U.N. office and officials say that it did not reflect the organization's official policy. Top U.N. leaders have used the words on social media before and around the time the email was sent. For a statement that's partially accurate but leaves out important details, we rate this Half True.
Read MoreClaim that the UN told staff not to use ‘war,’ ‘invasion’ to describe Ukraine conflict needs context

No, this Edmonton jacket isn’t proof CNN staged a fire as part of its Ukraine coverage

A Canadian charity has for years donated firefighter gear to Ukrainians. A jacket bearing the name of the city Edmonton that appeared in live CNN coverage in Ukraine came from the group, the charity said. An April 2019 Instagram post from the group shows piles of jackets bound for Ukraine. A 2018 post says: "Sharing more gear outside Lviv." The second photo in this post shows someone holding up a jacket that says "Edmonton" that resembles the one that appears in the CNN broadcast. We rate claims that this jacket is evidence that CNN staged the scene, or that Lemon isn't in Ukraine, False.
Read MoreNo, this Edmonton jacket isn’t proof CNN staged a fire as part of its Ukraine coverage

Zelenskyy’s shirt bears emblem of Ukraine armed forces, not Nazi cross

An Iron Cross visible on some of Zelenskyy's military green T-shirts is not a Nazi symbol. It represents the official emblem of Ukraine's armed forces and includes the country's coat of arms in the center. The Iron Cross is a commonly used, famous German military medal. It's not a hate symbol on its own. It was turned into a Nazi symbol when the regime superimposed a swastika in the center. Our ruling Social media posts claim that a Nazi symbol can be seen on Zelenskyy's T-shirts. This is wrong. The symbol visible on Zelenskyy's shirt is the official emblem of Ukraine's military and doesn't represent a Nazi Iron Cross. We rate the claim False.
Read MoreZelenskyy’s shirt bears emblem of Ukraine armed forces, not Nazi cross
Viral Photo of Russian Bomber Shows Incident from 2020

Viral Photo of Russian Bomber Shows Incident from 2020

Amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, a misleading photo posted March 22 on Facebook shows an American fighter jet intercepting a Russian bomber near Alaskan airspace. But the incident was not related to the current situation in Ukraine; the photo appeared in an article published in Aero Magazine in June 2020.
Read MoreViral Photo of Russian Bomber Shows Incident from 2020

No, the infamous Canadian sniper Wali has not been killed in Ukraine

A number of viral posts on social media have claimed that a Canadian sniper, dubbed "the world's deadliest sniper", was killed within hours of arriving in Mariupol, Ukraine, where he had gone to fight. However the man, nicknamed Wali, is still alive and well. He told the FRANCE 24 Observers team that he thinks the disinformation around his death serves to dissuade foreign fighters from going to Ukraine.
Read MoreNo, the infamous Canadian sniper Wali has not been killed in Ukraine

Video appears to show Kenyan soldiers, not Russians

The soldiers seen in the video don't appear to be wearing Russian uniforms, an expert on land warfare said. The uniforms appear to match those worn by soldiers in the Kenya Defence Forces. A longer version of the video says the soldiers are members of the Kenyan military. Our ruling A video claimed to show Russian soldiers fleeing for safety after failing to fire a rocket-propelled grenade. One expert told us the soldiers in the video don't appear to be Russian, based on their uniforms and lack of armbands. The uniforms do not seem to match ones in photos we found of Russian soldiers. The uniforms appear to match those worn by the military in Kenya, based on images and a longer version of the video found on YouTube. We rate this claim False.
Read MoreVideo appears to show Kenyan soldiers, not Russians

One America News runs conspiratorial segment claiming strike on Mariupol hospital was US false flag

The aftermath of the attack on a maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, was captured on video and in photos showing that it was an actual attack. A Pentagon spokesperson called OAN host Pearson Sharp's claims "ridiculous." Several independent experts who spoke to PolitiFact agreed that it was completely without merit. Russian officials have conceded the attack occurred. Our ruling Sharp said the attack on the Mariupol hospital had "the makings of yet another false flag operation" by the U.S. There is no evidence that the attack was staged or a false flag carried out by the U.S. Its aftermath was documented by workers, witnesses and journalists on the ground. We rate OAN's claim Pants on Fire!
Read MoreOne America News runs conspiratorial segment claiming strike on Mariupol hospital was US false flag

Fake: Ukraine Committed Genocide Against Donbas Inhabitants

As it happens, official United Nations data suggests that the 14,000 casualty figure that Putin has used does not only refer to civilians. During Russia's 2014-2021 military operations against Ukraine, 14,500 people died in the Donbas war. Of that 14,000, 3,404 were civilians, 4,400 were Ukrainian servicemen and 6,500 were Russian militants. The figure Putin operates with, is the total number of casualties incurred in the Donbas war by both sides.
Read MoreFake: Ukraine Committed Genocide Against Donbas Inhabitants