Category Russia

Land documents claiming Ukrainian officials bought fancy properties in Switzerland are forged

A Swiss land registry official said that documents claiming to show purchases of luxury properties by Ukrainian officials are forged.

The documents contain errors, such as the wrong digit count in numbers identifying the property.

A Swiss newspaper said the false claims were the work of a blogger loyal to the Kremlin.

Our ruling
A website claimed that three high-ranking Ukrainian officials had purchased luxury property in the resort town of Gstaad, Switzerland.

A Swiss land registry official said the documents cited as evidence were forged; errors in them prove that they did not come from the registry, the official said.

We rate this claim False.

Manipulation: EU Afraid of Ukrainian Weapon and Drug Smuggling

To strengthen border security in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, on July 11 the EU launched a Support Hub for internal security and border management in Moldova. Neither the program nor the announcement mention Ukraine reselling western weapons or being involved in drug trafficking.

Fake: 50% of Ukrainian Refugees Plan to Stay in Poland

News sites have taken recent polling data about Ukrainian refugees in Poland and distorted the findings to form a completely wrong conclusion. Among the surveys conducted of Ukrainian refugees in Poland, only 17% said they plan to stay in Poland.

July 12, 2022
Fact checks / debunkings International community Minorities in Ukraine Poland Russia Russian propaganda Ukraine

Fake: NATO Chief says Alliance Preparing for War with Russia for Eight Years

Jens Stoltenberg has never said anything about any eight-year preparation for war with Russia, nor about NATO's plans to "attack" Russia. The NATO Secretary General talked about the foundations of European security, which the Kremlin undermined in 2014 by occupying Ukrainian Crimea and seizing parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

July 11, 2022
Context Fact checks / debunkings International community NATO Russia Russian propaganda Treaties & agreements

Fake: Ukrainian Refugees Cut Swastika in German Field

Ukrainian refugees are accused by Russian social media users of mowing a huge swastika into a field in Brandenburg, Germany. These accusations are unfounded. According to German media, the Nazi symbol, which has been banned in Germany since the end of WWII, could have been made by a local villager.

Fact check: Putin’s lie about Ukraine war

Thousands of Ukrainians have been killed in Russian rocket attacks since February 24. Still, Vladimir Putin claims his soldiers don't attack civilian targets. The facts show quite the opposite.

Fake: Kharkiv Region Wants to Join Russia

Kharkiv regional authorities have never expressed a desire for the region to become part of Russia, contrary to Russian occupying official's claims. Appointed by the Russian authorities as the so-called "head of the temporary civil administration of Kharkiv province," Vitaly Ganchev is accused of treason and collaboration by Ukraine. A recent poll by the reputable Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 82% of Ukrainians living under temporary Russian occupation, have a negative attitude towards Russia, and 77% believe that under no circumstances should Ukraine cede any territory.

July 8, 2022
Fact checks / debunkings Russia Russian propaganda Ukraine

Fake: European Parliament Doubts Kyiv Can Pay Off its Debts

French far-right MEP Thierry Mariani, known for his pro-Kremlin views and visit to Russian occupied Crimea, said he doubts Ukraine is capable of paying off its debt. His views are his own and do not reflect the position of the European Parliament and the European Union. The EU continues to provide assistance to Ukraine, through grants that do not need to be repaid and loans provided on very favorable terms.

July 8, 2022
Aid to Ukraine Fact checks / debunkings Military aid Russia Russian propaganda Ukraine

Fake: Russian Army Destroys Troops who Raised Ukrainian Flag on Snake Island

Russia's Defense Ministry claims its troops destroyed Ukrainian servicemen who raised the Ukrainian flag on strategic Snake Island after Russian forces withdrew. The Ukraine's General Staff says the troops completed their task and returned to their base unharmed.

July 8, 2022
Fact checks / debunkings Faked news reports Methods Russia Russian propaganda Ukraine

Fake: Politico: West Wants Urgent Peace Treaty with Russia Because Ukraine Is In for…

The Politico newspaper, which Russian media claims published a story about an imminent peace treaty between the West and the Russian Federation, does not have a single article on this topic. Quite the contrary, the publication quotes many Western politicians who say that the United States and the European Union are committed to long-term support for Ukraine and do not see a possible to end the war in the near future.