Category Methods

Iconic photo is from Ukraine war, not Russia gas explosion

Olena Kurilo, a teacher, was injured on Feb. 24, 2022, when a Russian missile strike hit her apartment complex in Chuhuiv, Ukraine. Her photograph was taken by at least three journalists that day and she was interviewed on video. Photos in news reports that day show the apartment complex is not the building damaged by a 2018 gas explosion in Russia. Our ruling A social media user claims a photo of a Ukrainian woman that went viral after her apartment building was attacked on the first day of Russia's invasion is actually from a 2018 gas explosion in Russia. At least three photojournalists took photos of the woman on Feb. 24 and she was interviewed on camera. Multiple news reports confirmed the attack on the apartment building that day, and images show the building is not the same one damaged in the Russia gas explosion. We rate this claim False.
Read MoreIconic photo is from Ukraine war, not Russia gas explosion

The suspicious Twitter accounts claiming to be run by journalists in Ukraine

The FRANCE 24 Observers team has launched an investigation into three Twitter accounts that claim to be run by journalists on the frontlines in Ukraine. The suspicious accounts were originally spotted by Conspirador Norteño, an account that specialises in studying misinformation on social media. But before that, they were thought to be authentic - one even appeared in an article in a British newspaper. We found several clues that raise concerns about whether these three people exist.
Read MoreThe suspicious Twitter accounts claiming to be run by journalists in Ukraine

Fresh round of fake videos claim the Bucha massacre was staged

Several hundred bodies of civilians were discovered in Bucha, Ukraine on April 3. Since the horrific discovery, pro-Russian accounts on Twitter have been circulating images that they say prove that these bodies were fake or that the massacre was staged by Ukrainians. But we investigated and, it turns out, these images were taken out of context.
Read MoreFresh round of fake videos claim the Bucha massacre was staged

Russia pushes false crisis actor claims about video from Bucha, Ukraine

The Russian Ministry of Defense and other top Russian officials claimed that a video of a car driving through Ukraine showed two crisis actors playing the role of dead Ukrainians in a staged massacre. On Telegram and Twitter, they claimed that the video showed one person moving their arm, and another person seen in the car's mirror sitting up. The video does not show a person raising an arm as the car drives by; it shows a mark floating across the car's windshield ' perhaps a drop of water or a speck of dirt. The video does not show someone sitting up after the car drives by; it shows a stationary corpse through the lens of the car's passenger-side mirror, which has distorting effects. Our ruling The Russian Ministry of Defense said a video taken from a car driving through Bucha, Ukraine, shows a corpse "moving his arm," and then "in the rear view mirror the 'corpse' sits down." Both claims misrepresent what the video in question shows. The video shows a mark floating across the car's windshield ' perhaps a drop of water or a speck of dirt ' which Russia officials falsely portrayed as of a corpse "moving his arm." Similarly, what Russian officials falsely claimed was a corpse sitting up was actually a dead person whose body appeared distorted due to the shape of the car's passenger-side mirror. We rate this claim False.
Read MoreRussia pushes false crisis actor claims about video from Bucha, Ukraine

The Space Foundation didn’t revoke honors from Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin

The Space Foundation removed Yuri Gagarin's name from an upcoming fundraising event after it received derogatory and anti-Russia comments on its social media accounts. The organization did not revoke any formal honors from the cosmonaut. Exhibits related to Gagarin are still on display at the foundation's gallery in Colorado, and his accomplishments will still be celebrated at the annual event, the group said. Our ruling A Facebook post claims, "the Space Foundation has erased the honors previously bestowed on Yuri Gagarin, the first man to ever be in space. His name was stripped 'in light of current events.'" This is misleading. The Space Foundation removed Gagarin's name from an event after it received derogatory and anti-Russian comments on its social media accounts due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But the organization did not revoke any formal honors from the cosmonaut. Gagarin's exhibits are still on display at the foundation and his accomplishments will still be celebrated at the event. The post contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression. We rate it Mostly False.
Read MoreThe Space Foundation didn’t revoke honors from Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin

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

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