Category Russian propaganda

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.

March 21, 2022
Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Misconceptions Russia Russian propaganda 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.

There is no evidence that Putin invaded Ukraine to fight child trafficking

This claim originated in an article published by a website known for sharing misinformation, including one previous false claim on Ukraine.

• Russia's president stated many reasons for the invasion. Ending child trafficking was not among them.

• According to the U.S. State Department, Russia is failing to deal with human trafficking within its own borders.

Our ruling
A post on Facebook alleged that Russia started its invasion of Ukraine to fight child trafficking.

The claim originates in an article published by a website known for fabricating stories and sources.

There is no evidence that ending child trafficking is a goal of the war in Ukraine. Russia itself is failing to deal with human trafficking within its own borders, according to a report by the U.S. State Department.

And while Putin has been very descriptive about his reasons for invading Ukraine, child trafficking has never been mentioned.

We rate the post False.

No, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Did Not Wear a Nazi Symbol

Conspiracy theorists and Russian apologists reached new lows in attacking the Ukrainian president in March 2022.

March 17, 2022
Fact checks / debunkings Russia Russian propaganda Ukraine

Doctored Italian TV screenshot shared to discredit Ukraine war coverage

An image comparing what appears to be an Italian television network's coverage of the war in Ukraine to a shot from a movie has spread online in posts claiming the media is lying about Russia's invasion. But the network's parent company rejected the claim, a word is missing from the TGCOM24 logo used in the posts, and AFP found no evidence of the footage being broadcast on the channel.

March 17, 2022
Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Faked news reports International community Italy Methods Misconceptions Russia Russian propaganda Ukraine

Social Media Posts Misrepresent Victims of Hospital Bombed in Mariupol

Russian planes bombed a hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 9, killing three people and injuring at least 17, including two pregnant women seen in photos shared around the world. Social media posts falsely claimed one woman “posed” as the two women. One of the women died of her injuries, along with her baby; the other gave birth to a daughter.

March 16, 2022
Attacks on civilians Children Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Misconceptions Russia Russian propaganda Ukraine War crimes

No, the video of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy urging surrender isn’t real. It’s a deepfake

The VERIFY team confirmed a video of Ukraine President Zelenskyy telling his people to surrender is a deepfake. It was created using images from press conferences.

A pre-recorded video? The pro-Russian hoax suggesting that Volodymyr Zelensky has left Ukraine

Russian media outlets, including Russia Today, are falsely claiming that the video of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to a KyivÂ hospital on March 13 was recorded last month, fuelling speculation that he has fled the country.

March 14, 2022
Coordinated disinformation Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Misconceptions Russia Russian propaganda Ukraine

No, this document doesn’t show classified Ukrainian military orders to attack the Donbas region

The document isn't classified, and there are no direct statements in it about an attack on the Donbas. It makes references to a training camp on the opposite side of the country.

Our ruling
Russian officials shared a Ukrainian document on Twitter with claims that it showed secret, classified orders for a military offensive on the Donbas region in southeastern Ukraine.

This is wrong. There is no proof that the document is classified, and there are no direct statements in it about an attack on the Donbas. The document makes references to a training camp on the opposite side of the country.

We rate claims about a document showing a planned military offensive in the Donbas False.

FactChecking Claims About the Conflict in Ukraine

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, following months of military buildup and, as we’ve written, repeated denials by Russian officials that their country planned to invade.

As is often the case with major news events, we have seen several false and misleading claims made on social media and by politicians related to the conflict.

March 11, 2022
Disinformation Fact check websites Fact checks / debunkings Fact-checking tools Misconceptions Resources Russian propaganda