Category Misconceptions

Old military training drill video falsely passed off as footage of US soldiers fighting in Ukraine

A video of soldiers jumping out of a plane with parachutes has been shared tens of thousands of times on Facebook in South Africa alongside a claim that it shows US paratroopers joining the war in Ukraine. But this is false: the footage, which has been viewed millions of times, has been online since at least 2016 and features US soldiers performing parachute drills at the Pope Army Airfield in North Carolina.

Read MoreOld military training drill video falsely passed off as footage of US soldiers fighting in Ukraine

No, these videos do not show a Russian hypersonic strike in Ukraine

The Russian military claimed to have used a hypersonic missile on March 18 to strike an underground warehouse in western Ukraine. Two videos have emerged on social networks claiming to show this attack, but, in fact, they have nothing to do with this event.

Read MoreNo, these videos do not show a Russian hypersonic strike in Ukraine

Zelensky Remains in Ukraine, Despite False Claims on Social Media

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appeared in several recent videos that show he has remained in the country since Russia invaded on Feb. 24. But a post circulating on Facebook falsely claims he fled and recorded a video using a green screen to make it appear as though he's still in Ukraine. There's no evidence to support the claim. A digital forensics expert told us that nothing in the video indicates it was filmed using a green screen.

Read MoreZelensky Remains in Ukraine, Despite False Claims on Social Media

Posts misleadingly link pharmaceutical event in India with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Several images have been shared repeatedly in social media posts that claim they show a minaret in India's capital lit up with the colours of the Russian flag to show "support" for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The posts circulated online after a similar tweet was shared by the state-run Chinese tabloid Global Times. The claim is misleading: the Indian government said the building in New Delhi was illuminated as part of a week-long event to promote affordable medicines. Local media reports also said the minaret was illuminated for the pharmaceutical event, not Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Read MorePosts misleadingly link pharmaceutical event in India with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

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

No, this military choir in Russia was not arrested for singing anti-war songs

Posts shared online claim to show members of a Russian military choir being arrested for singing anti-war songs. Although Russian President Vladimir Putin has indeed cracked down on people spreading "false information" about the war in Ukraine, leading to many people's arrests, this video is not an example of that. In fact, it shows an incident from 2015 when the choir performed a song from a James Bond film.

Read MoreNo, this military choir in Russia was not arrested for singing anti-war songs