Does Zelensky Live in $5.5M Mansion With Infinity Pool? // Newsweek

Source published on: July 19, 2023 /

The tweet by Churchill offers no evidence that the image of a luxury property she shared belonged to Zelensky. Social media users were quick to point out that the image was taken from a real estate website for a property that was on sale for $5.5 million. It appears to be the latest unfounded accusation that Zelensky has faced that he has amassed properties around the world.

Indexed on 2023-09-18 04:44 // Categories: Corruption, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine

Were Dead Russian Soldiers Packed Into Grisly ‘Meat Cubes’? // Newsweek

Source published on: July 7, 2023 /

So far Newsweek has been unable to find any evidence to support the “meat cube” claims.

According to local reports, the images of slabs of meat packed in between wooden craters show leftovers of expired animal feed in Russia’s Belgorod region, not the bodies of Russian soldiers.

Indexed on 2023-09-18 04:42 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, and Russia

Was Russian Soldier Blown Up Bashing Tank With Artillery Shell? // Newsweek

Source published on: July 4, 2023 /

The video shared on Twitter has been edited. The explosion seen in the film is a video effect, available on TikTok.

The original video, which has been shared on other social media for at least seven months, shows the soldier using the shell to hammer a component into the tank before turning and smiling at a group behind him.

Indexed on 2023-09-18 04:39 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, and Russia

Is RFK Jr. Right That U.S. Has Sent $113 Billion to Ukraine? // Newsweek

Source published on: June 30, 2023 /

While Congress has allocated $113 billion worth of spending toward Ukraine, analysis of that spending shows that a significant proportion will not go directly to Kyiv.

Analysis by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, which tracks U.S. spending in Ukraine, has suggested the total direct spend to be around $77 billion.

Indexed on 2023-09-18 04:37 // Categories: Aid to Ukraine, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Ukraine, and USA

Has Zelensky Announced ‘Full General Mobilization’ of Ukraine? // Newsweek

Source published on: June 23, 2023 /

Misleading Material. General mobilization and martial law have been imposed in Ukraine since day one of Russia’s invasion.

The document being shared on social media by pro-Kremlin accounts does not call for another general mobilization of the country but is a local order for residents to update their information, and for authorities to track and keep record of eligibility.

Indexed on 2023-09-18 04:34 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine

Did RFK Jr. Claim That Ukraine Has Cost U.S. $8 Trillion? // Newsweek

Source published on: June 19, 2023 /

A representative for Kennedy Jr. told Newsweek via email that “the candidate misspoke.”

They added: “What he meant was that spending on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars totaled $8 trillion. He apologizes for the misstatement.”

Whatever Kennedy Jr.’s intended message was, the lack of detail does appear to have caused some to believe that the U.S. has spent $8 trillion on Ukraine which is, quite clearly, not correct.

Indexed on 2023-09-18 04:19 // Categories: Aid to Ukraine, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Ukraine, and USA

Tucker Carlson Says Ukraine Considered Destroying Kakhovka Dam // Newsweek

Source published on: June 8, 2023 /

Carlson’s conclusion that the Ukrainian government had considered destroying the dam misrepresents what was actually written. It might also fail to consider the perceived counterintuitive nature of such a move at a potentially pivotal moment in the conflict.

Indexed on 2023-09-18 04:16 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russian propaganda, Ukraine, and War crimes

Did RFK Jr. Use Russian Photo in Campaign Ad? // Newsweek

Source published on: June 29, 2023 /

The photo used in the Kennedy campaign ad is from a picture used to help illustrate designs for online stores. The same retouched photo has been used by multiple online outlets.

While Newsweek was unable to find the location of the store, it does appear to have been shot in Russia or a Russian-speaking region.

However, there is no suggestion the choice of the photo was deliberate and is far likelier to have been an oversight of the RFK Jr. campaign team. Other photos the campaign has used for its merchandise were also shot in other locations around the world.

Indexed on 2023-09-18 04:07 // Categories: Fact checks / debunkings, Russia, and USA

Was Russia’s Only ‘Victory Day’ Tank Actually Built in Ukraine? // Newsweek

Source published on: May 11, 2023 /

While there is some truth to the tweet about the tank, it doesn’t tell the full story. The T-34 was developed in 1939-1940 in Kharkiv, then part of the Moscow-controlled Soviet Republic of Ukraine at Plant Number 183. Production was later moved to the Russian cities of Omsk, Nizhny Tagil, and Nizhny Novgorod due to (later confirmed) fears of German invasion. […]

According to Zaloga, the turret on the tank in the Victory Day parade indicated that it was likelier built in Nizhny Tagil, where a redesign called the T-34-85 was built.

Indexed on 2023-09-18 04:03 // Categories: Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russia, and Ukraine

Was Russian Victory Day Tank Sent to Ukraine After Parade? // Newsweek

Source published on: May 11, 2023 /

Misleading Material. The video shared on Twitter is from a Russian parade in 2018. While similar to the tank used in the recent Victory Day parade, it is not the same vehicle.

Although we cannot say with certainty that the Victory Day parade tank hasn’t been or won’t be used in the war against Ukraine, there is no evidence to suggest that it or others of the same model will or have been used, least of all because they were manufactured dating to World War II.

Indexed on 2023-09-18 04:00 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russia, and Ukraine

Is Image of ‘Scared’ Putin Connected to Russia’s Ukraine War? // Newsweek

Source published on: April 28, 2023 /

Misleading Material. While the image in the tweet is a photo of Putin, it has nothing to do with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It was taken during a submarine dive off an island in the Gulf of Finland in 2019.

Indexed on 2023-09-18 03:57 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russia, and Ukraine

Have U.S. Taxpayers Sent Over $200B to Ukraine? // Newsweek

Source published on: April 26, 2023 /

False. Congress has only approved $113 billion for spending in Ukraine. Researchers tracking spending suggest that only around $77 billion has gone directly to Ukraine, a combination of financial, military and other forms of aid.

It’s not clear where the $200 billion figure has come from. A Fox News report in February 2023 attributed it to a Ukrainian government statement that Newsweek could not find. Another estimate broadcast on Tucker Carlson Tonight the same month was presented without evidence and upon inspection appears dubious.

Indexed on 2023-09-18 03:55 // Categories: Aid to Ukraine, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Ukraine, and USA

Does Video Show Russia’s Ministry of Defense on Fire? // Newsweek

Source published on: April 6, 2023 /

Although there was a fire at the Ministry of Defense in Moscow, it was restricted to one small section on the third floor of the building.

The fire was said to have spread around 60 square meters. According to news reports it was put out shortly after it was reported.

Indexed on 2023-09-18 03:52 // Categories: Fact checks / debunkings, Russia, and Ukraine

Does Video Show U.S. Senator’s ‘Confessions’ to Ukraine Coup? // Newsweek

Source published on: March 3, 2023 /

There are a number of misleading elements to this tweet. Firstly, the video is not a “confession” at all. It is footage from an interview with Russian state-funded broadcaster RT. […]

The tweet did not provide the necessary context for readers to be able to judge the significance of the footage, which only contained the opinions of a retired state senator.

Indexed on 2023-09-18 03:32 // Categories: 2014 Maidan revolution, Context, Democracy, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russian propaganda, Ukraine, and USA

Social Media Posts Misrepresent Zelenskyy’s Remarks on U.S. Military Involvement // FactCheck.org

Source published on: March 2, 2023 /

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy predicted that if Russia’s invasion of his country is successful, it will invade nearby NATO countries, triggering a war involving the U.S. military. Some conservative commentators misleadingly claimed that he’d called upon the U.S. to “send their sons and daughters to war for Ukraine and potentially die.”

Indexed on 2023-09-18 03:27 // Categories: Disinformation, Escalation / WWIII, Fact checks / debunkings, Military aid, Misconceptions, Ukraine, and USA