Fact checks: from across the internet
Ukraine Fact Check presents fact checks on Ukraine in two different ways. Our team works to:
1. index and tag existing fact-check articles from reputable sources from across the internet;
2. compile and publish original fact check articles, based our team’s own research into a subject.
Below, you can find the fact-check articles published by other websites across the internet.
Disclaimer: Ukraine Fact Check was not involved in producing the articles listed below. The information presented in them may be incorrect, incomplete, or misleading. As with any other type of article, read with a critical eye, check sources, and seek other opinions before making up your mind on important topics.
Did Bill Gates Call Ukraine ‘Big, Fat, Corrupt Sinkhole’? // Newsweek
Source published on: March 1, 2023 /
The words “big, fat, corrupt sinkhole” are not a direct quote, but an interpretation of what Gates is saying in the edited clip.
As his quote shows, Gates was referring to “pre-war” Ukraine, crucial context that was omitted from the clip circulating online.
It is not clear what Gates’ timeframe is for “pre-war”—it could refer to before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 or its initial invasion in 2014.
Indexed on 2023-09-18 03:23 // Categories: Corruption, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, and Ukraine
Bogus Theory Misinterprets FTX Support for Ukraine // FactCheck.org
Source published on: November 18, 2022 /
The bankruptcy of FTX, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, has sparked an unfounded claim that its former CEO had conspired with Ukraine and Democratic politicians to launder U.S. aid money. FTX helped make crypto donations available to Ukraine; it wasn’t taking any assets from Ukraine.
Indexed on 2023-09-18 03:17 // Categories: Corruption, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine
Did Zelensky Say U.S. Will Send Its Kids to War for Ukraine? // Newsweek
Source published on: March 1, 2023 /
Misleading Material. The clip was removed from its important and clarifying context, giving a misleading impression of what Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian leader’s remarks were a hypothetical answer about what could happen should Ukraine lose the war to Russia, partially due to decreased support from the United States. […]
Zelensky did not suggest that Americans should send their children to fight now for Ukraine against Russian forces.
Indexed on 2023-09-18 03:06 // Categories: Disinformation, Escalation / WWIII, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Ukraine, and USA
Does Video Show Ukraine Drone Dropping Grenades on Civilians? // Newsweek
Source published on: February 28, 2023 /
There is no information in the video to prove those hit were civilians.
Moreover, there are other visual clues that suggest the people in the video may have been military targets.
Indexed on 2023-09-18 02:59 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russia, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine
Is Putin Ally’s Son Dodging Ukraine Draft as Model in London? // Newsweek
Source published on: February 17, 2023 /
Unverified. At least one of the photos shared regularly online about Vladimir Solovyov’s son is misleading and of somebody else; the Irish model Tommy Solovyov.
But there is also no definitive evidence to show that his actual son is currently based in London modeling or elsewhere. Another photo frequently shared online indicates that he has modeled or is modeling; however, that agency is based in Russia.
Indexed on 2023-09-18 02:55 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, and Russia
Posts Misquote Biden’s Year-Old Remarks on Tanks for Ukraine // FactCheck.org
Source published on: February 13, 2023 /
President Joe Biden announced on Jan. 25 that the U.S. would provide Ukraine with 31 tanks. After the announcement, a meme on social media misquoted Biden’s remarks from March 2022, suggesting he said that sending tanks to Ukraine would cause World War III. Biden said sending weapons “with American pilots and American crews” would cause a world war.
Indexed on 2023-09-18 02:48 // Categories: Aid to Ukraine, Disinformation, Escalation / WWIII, Fact checks / debunkings, Military aid, Misconceptions, Ukraine, and USA
Have Over 150K Ukraine Troops Been Killed in Russia Conflict? // Newsweek
Source published on: February 10, 2023 /
Unverified. The figures quoted in Twitter come from a Turkish website that does not link to its sources, nor does it provide any other authenticated evidence.
The claim that it received its data from Israeli security services is also highly dubious.
While we cannot verify the actual number of soldiers killed on either side of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the estimates quoted in the tweet and the article do not match anywhere near the figures cited by Western intelligence services and senior officials.
Indexed on 2023-09-18 02:43 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine
Has Ukraine Banned 19 Million Russian Books From its Libraries? // Newsweek
Source published on: February 7, 2023 /
The tweet suggests that all 19 million books have been banned, which the details of this story do not clarify. It may also imply incorrectly that only books by Russian authors or about Russia are being removed. Although books such as these may well be removed, the tweet does not summarize the details of this story, or lack thereof, correctly.
Indexed on 2023-09-18 02:40 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine
Did Zelensky Order Destruction of Docs Linked to Hunter Biden? // Newsweek
Source published on: February 6, 2023 /
False. The tenuous link between Hunter Biden, Rosemont Seneca, Metabiota, and the Ukrainian government notwithstanding, the “letter” from the Ukrainian government has been debunked.
The letter, which was circulated on Russian social media in 2022, was littered with mistakes that indicated it was translated to Ukrainian from Russian.
Indexed on 2023-09-18 02:37 // Categories: Corruption, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russian propaganda, Ukraine, and USA
U.S. Spent Much More in Afghan War Than in Support for Ukraine So Far, Contrary to Online Claim // FactCheck.org
Source published on: February 3, 2023 /
The U.S. spent more than $849 billion in the 20-year war in Afghanistan and has spent about $113 billion to support Ukraine since Russia invaded in 2022. But a video on social media falsely claims that the aid for Ukraine is “double the U.S. expenditure for its own war in Afghanistan.”
Indexed on 2023-09-18 02:32 // Categories: Aid to Ukraine, Corruption, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Military aid, Misconceptions, Ukraine, and USA
Did Biden Say Sending Tanks to Ukraine Would Cause World War 3? // Newsweek
Source published on: February 2, 2023 /
In March 2022, Biden said the supply of tanks and other equipment with—crucially— American troops on the ground would amount to what he described as “World War 3”.
While the arrival of M1-Abrams tanks to Ukraine is new, the U.S. has funded the upgrade and supply of Soviet-era tanks to Kyiv.
Indexed on 2023-09-18 02:28 // Categories: Aid to Ukraine, Disinformation, Escalation / WWIII, Fact checks / debunkings, Military aid, Misconceptions, Russia, Ukraine, and USA
Was OnlyFans Banned in Russia? // Newsweek
Source published on: January 31, 2023 /
Although some users in Russia said they were unable to access the site on Monday, January 30, it turned out to be a technical issue impacting just several regions, according to an official statement from the OnlyFans press team. Therefore, we rate this claim as False.
Indexed on 2023-09-18 02:25 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, and Russia
Was Putin’s Spokesman Caught Wearing $6 Million Watch? // Newsweek
Source published on: December 22, 2022 /
False. While Dmitry Peskov possesses a number of expensive watches by designer Richard Mille, including one estimated to be worth more than $600,000, the watch in the photo shared on social media is not worth $6 million.
Reports by Russian independent media claimed the watch in the photo was worth 6 million rubles, which appears to have been misinterpreted or mistranslated into a dollar value.
Indexed on 2023-09-18 02:19 // Categories: Corruption, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, and Russia
Did Biden Grab Zelensky’s Butt in Viral White House Photo? // Newsweek
Source published on: December 22, 2022 /
False. No, Biden did not place his hand on Zelensky’s buttocks. The viral image is a digitally manipulated version of an official photo shared by the White House press team.
Indexed on 2023-09-18 02:10 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, and Misconceptions
Did Zelensky’s Wife Go on $40K Shopping Spree in Paris? // Newsweek
Source published on: December 21, 2022 /
Claims that the first lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska went on a shopping spree during her visit to Paris this month are not supported by credible evidence.
They appear to stem from a single tweet posted by an unverified and low-engagement Twitter account, which provided scant details about the alleged purchases, simply citing an anonymous “source.”
Additionally, the location of the U.S.-based account and its posting history raise significant doubts about the veracity of the claims.
Indexed on 2023-09-18 01:58 // Categories: Corruption, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine