Category International community

No, this photo doesn’t show an American admiral captured by Russians in Mariupol

On May 14, pro-Russia social media accounts started circulating a photo of a group of soldiers taken prisoner by the Russian army. These accounts claimed that one of the prisoners in the photo is a retired American admiral by the name of Eric Olson. That claim is false: this photo actually shows Ukrainians taken prisoner by the Russians in April 2022, well before the soldiers in the steelworks surrendered.

Read MoreNo, this photo doesn’t show an American admiral captured by Russians in Mariupol

Fake: Kadyrov Foundation Repairs Abandoned Hospital in Rubizhne

The Rubizhne Central City Hospital Infectious Diseases Department was restored back in 2017 with funds from the United Nations Development Program and the Government of Japan. According to Serhiy Haidai, the head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration, before the war, the infectious diseases department of the city hospital in Rubizhne had state of the art modern equipment and was considered one of the best in Ukraine.

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Fake: Kyiv Lying that Russia Has Lost a Third of Its Army in Ukraine…

Ukraine is not the only country saying that Russia has incurred significant losses in its war against Ukraine, the British Ministry of Defense has also said the same thing. Russian allegations that Ukraine is "producing propaganda that even the West does not believe" are simply lies. The heavy losses of the Russian army are becoming increasingly obvious not only to Ukrainians, but also to foreign analysts.

Read MoreFake: Kyiv Lying that Russia Has Lost a Third of Its Army in Ukraine…

Baby formula donations to Ukraine not linked to U.S. shortage

• A Mississippi nonprofit, Operation Ukraine, sent $10,000 worth of baby formula to Ukraine in March.

• There is no evidence that the donated formula contributed to current U.S. baby formula shortages, which are attributed to supply chain problems that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, plus the recall of some formula that led to a manufacturing plant shutdown.

Causes of the U.S. shortage are described by Bloomberg as "​​long-term economic pressures collid(ing) with a sudden supply shock." The long-term issues are related to the pandemic, which led to supply chain and shipping disruptions, as well as labor shortages. And the supply shock, Bloomberg explained, came when Abbott Laboratories recalled its baby formula and shut down a Michigan manufacturing plant because of concerns about contamination.

The claim that donations of baby formula to Ukraine are related to the current U.S. shortage is unfounded. We rate it False.

Read MoreBaby formula donations to Ukraine not linked to U.S. shortage

Manipulation: UK Deporting Ukrainian Refugees to Rwanda

In order to crack down on smuggling routes across the English Channel, the UK may deport to Rwanda those who entered the country illegally, failed UK security checks or made unnecessary secondary movements from countries deemed safe. Currently, there are two safe and legal routes in the UK for Ukrainian refugees to enter the country - the Ukraine family scheme and the Homes for Ukraine program.

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How to Terminate Russian Disinformation

By Zviad Adzinbaia, for CEPA

Russia's failed invasion of Ukraine can pave the way to ending the Kremlin's weaponized disinformation against the West.
Twitter limited more than 300 Russian government accounts last month, including that of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The move followed the European Union's (EU) 27 February ban on Russia's two state-run propaganda outlets, RT and Sputnik, three days after Russia invaded Ukraine. Meta followed by "restricting access to RT and Sputnik across the EU."

These measures set a precedent to clear Russia's disinformation networks from Western media and social media space.

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Fake: Germany Begins Ukrainian Refugee Selection

Germany is not conducting any kind of selection of Ukrainian refugees. Germany continues to receive all refugees from Ukraine. Ukrainians do not have to apply for asylum, they are granted temporary protection status which includes all social benefits provided for in Germany's Residence Law Article 24. Once registered with the authorities, these protections are valid for one year and may be extended for up to three years.

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Video featured since 2020 in reports about Turkish attack in Syria, does not show Ukraine

After Russia pressed on with its invasion of Ukraine, a video surfaced in social media posts in various languages claiming it shows a Ukrainian drone attack on Russian tanks. But the footage -- which has been viewed tens of thousands of times -- has been shared in a false context. It has circulated since March 2020 in reports about a Turkish drone assault on Syrian forces.

Read MoreVideo featured since 2020 in reports about Turkish attack in Syria, does not show Ukraine