Category USA

NATO and U.S. troops and trainers have not died in Ukraine war

There are no NATO troops or trainers in Ukraine, and no NATO personnel have been killed in Ukraine since Russia's invasion in February 2022, NATO said.

The U.S. has sent troops to countries surrounding Ukraine that are NATO members, but the U.S. has not sent troops into Ukraine.

The Pentagon announced in December that Ukrainian troops would travel to a U.S. base in Grafenwöhr, Germany for military training from soldiers from the U.S. Army Europe and Africa Command's 7th Army Training Command.

It's unclear how many Russian or Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or wounded so far.

U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in January that Russia alone has had more than 100,000 killed or wounded.

We rate the claim that in Ukraine, 2,458 NATO soldiers and 234 NATO military trainers have died, some of whom are from the U.S., Pants on Fire!

February 6, 2023
Aid to Ukraine Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings International community Military aid Misconceptions NATO Russia Russian propaganda Ukraine USA

U.S. Spent Much More in Afghan War Than in Support for Ukraine So Far, Contrary to Online Claim

The U.S. spent more than $849 billion in the 20-year war in Afghanistan and has spent about $113 billion to support Ukraine since Russia invaded in 2022. But a video on social media falsely claims that the aid for Ukraine is “double the U.S. expenditure for its own war in Afghanistan.”

February 3, 2023
Aid to Ukraine Corruption Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Military aid Misconceptions Ukraine USA

Conservative commentators, politicians distort Biden’s remarks on tanks for Ukraine

Conservative politicians and commentators claim US President Joe Biden defied his own warnings about triggering a third World War with Russia by delivering tanks to Ukraine. But the quote shared as proof has been edited to distort its meaning; Biden said in March 2022 that having "planes and tanks and trains going in with American pilots and American crews" would constitute "World War III."

Did Biden Say Sending Tanks to Ukraine Would Cause World War 3?

In March 2022, Biden said the supply of tanks and other equipment with—crucially— American troops on the ground would amount to what he described as "World War 3".

While the arrival of M1-Abrams tanks to Ukraine is new, the U.S. has funded the upgrade and supply of Soviet-era tanks to Kyiv.

February 2, 2023
Aid to Ukraine Disinformation Escalation / WWIII Fact checks / debunkings Military aid Misconceptions Russia Ukraine USA

Tweets distort Biden’s comments on tanks, Ukraine and World War III

President Joe Biden announced on Jan. 25, 2023, that the U.S. is sending 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.

Earlier in the war, almost a year ago, Biden said, "The idea that we're going to send in offensive equipment and have planes and tanks and trains going in with American pilots and American crews, just understand … that's called 'World War III.'"

A widely shared meme shortened Biden's quote to make it appear as if he said sending tanks alone to Ukraine would cause World War III.

A meme shared in a tweet claimed that in March, Biden said, "The idea that we're going to send in tanks to Ukraine, that's called World War III." Biden announced the U.S. will be sending M1 Abrams tanks about 10 months later.

The quote is edited to leave out the full context of Biden's comments. He said the U.S. would not be sending offensive equipment and planes, tanks and trains with U.S. pilots and crews.

We rate the claim False.

Posts falsely link Texas video to Ukraine conflict

A video of a flock of birds swooping over a freeway in the US state of Texas has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in online posts that falsely claim it shows a murder of crows in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in January 2023. The claim circulated online during the 11th month of Russia's war in Ukraine.

February 2, 2023
China Fact checks / debunkings International community Media taken out of context Methods Misconceptions Ukraine USA

Debunking claims that US Abrams tanks were seen in Poland – Truth or Fake

In a video circulating on social media, some users claim to show American M1 Abrams tanks and military infantry vehicles in Poland, allegedly heading to Ukraine. These false claims began to circulate online on January 25, when President Joe Biden announced that US Abrams tanks would be delivered to Ukraine. We tell you where this video was actually filmed in this edition of Truth or Fake.

February 1, 2023
Aid to Ukraine Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings International community Military aid Misconceptions Poland Ukraine USA

Fake: US Colonizes Ukraine for its Titanium Deposits

A recent Russian fake cites a Newsweek article which allegedly claims that the US is colonizing Ukraine for its titanium reserves. The Newsweek article however does not contain a single word about any such colonization. On the contrary, the article claims that Russia could launch large scale military operations against Ukraine also with the aim of seizing the country's mineral deposits.

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.

January 27, 2023
Aid oversight Aid to Ukraine Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings International community Military aid Misconceptions Ukraine USA

Fake: US Running Out of Ammunition for Ukraine says CSIS

A study by the US think tank CSIS states that the United States may face shortages of certain types of weapons and ammunition. However, this will not be a problem for the American Armed Forces. The United States possesses more than enough interchangeable types of weapons.