Category Misconceptions

FACT CHECK: No, Zelenskyy Did Not Buy Two Mega-Yachts | Check Your Fact

Verdict: False
There is no evidence Zelenskyy has bought two yachts. [...]

The broker companies that are selling the yachts confirmed to multiple journalists, such as BBC Verify reporter Shayan Sardarizadeh, that the yachts are still for sale.

Read MoreFACT CHECK: No, Zelenskyy Did Not Buy Two Mega-Yachts | Check Your Fact

FACT CHECK: No, BBC News Did Not Publish This Video About Bellingcat Reporting On A Former Ukrainian Official | Check Your Fact

A post shared on X, formerly Twitter, claims BBC News published a video about Bellingcat researchers reporting that former Ukrainian official Alexey Arestovich spent $500,000 on private flights.

Verdict: False
There is no evidence for this claim. BBC News and Bellingcat both denied they made any such report'

Read MoreFACT CHECK: No, BBC News Did Not Publish This Video About Bellingcat Reporting On A Former Ukrainian Official | Check Your Fact

Fact Check: Did Ukraine’s Zelensky Buy a $48 Million Yacht?

The Ruling: False.
Volodymyr Zelensky has not bought a $48.9 million yacht, as confirmed by the broker handling its sale.

There is no evidence a similar purchase has been made elsewhere. Funding to Ukraine is heavily audited and itemized, making it very difficult, if not impossible, for Zelensky to make such a purchase using U.S. contributions.

Read MoreFact Check: Did Ukraine’s Zelensky Buy a $48 Million Yacht?

Facebook shuts thousands of fake Chinese accounts masquerading as Americans

Someone in China created thousands of fake social media accounts designed to appear to be from Americans and used them to spread polarizing political content in an apparent effort to divide the U.S. ahead of next year's elections, Meta said Thursday.

Read MoreFacebook shuts thousands of fake Chinese accounts masquerading as Americans

Fake: Ukraine “Forced” Schoolchildren to Study in Shelters “for PR”

Due to Russian aggression and occupiers' attacks on civilian infrastructure, only a third of Ukrainian schoolchildren have the opportunity to study full-time in a face-to-face format. More than 4,100 schools in Ukraine have been destroyed or damaged. That is why Ukrainian schools practice mixed methods - online and offline - in safe shelters underground.

Read MoreFake: Ukraine “Forced” Schoolchildren to Study in Shelters “for PR”

Bucha massacre: Satellite evidence and timeline

The timeline of events in Bucha is critical to understanding events around the 2022 massacre. Many narratives about Bucha hinge entirely on the order of events, and on the dates of certain pieces of evidence. In this article, we lay out several viral claims about the Bucha massacre, and show how each is either debunked or strengthened by the timeline of documented events.

Read MoreBucha massacre: Satellite evidence and timeline

Fake: Poland to Cease Payments to Ukrainian Refugees Since 2024

As of November 25, Poland has not announced that payments to Ukrainian refugees will be suspended from January 1, 2024. The screenshot, which propaganda alleges to originate from the Polish government website, was edited.

Read MoreFake: Poland to Cease Payments to Ukrainian Refugees Since 2024

Fake: Ukrainian Armed Forces Mine Border With Hungary in Zakarpattia

There is no information about who the man in the video is, neither what unit he is from nor his rank, which makes it impossible to verify what he is saying. The press service of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine denied this information, saying that the fake was designed to "negatively affect the situation."

Read MoreFake: Ukrainian Armed Forces Mine Border With Hungary in Zakarpattia