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.
DISINFO: Eastern European nationalist ambitions will destroy the EU // EU vs Disinfo
Source published on: May 16, 2024 /
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation Poland, Romania and Hungary as states with imperial ambitions. Apart from smearing these EU members, the aim is also to deflect attention away from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This is a modification of a recurring disinformation narrative about the alleged disintegration of the EU. As our past analysis explains, the ‘imminent collapse’ narrative is often used in pro-Kremlin outlets in relation to the EU, European countries, or capitalism.
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: European Union, Fact checks / debunkings, Hungary, International community, and Poland
DISINFO: EU mission in Armenia is an instrument of the EU’s hybrid war // EU vs Disinfo
Source published on: May 15, 2024 /
Intensively repeated disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets attempting to discredit the EU mission in Armenia, accusing it of espionage, anti-Russian, anti-Iranian and anti-Azerbaijani activities.
From the very beginning, this exclusively civilian mission has been fully transparent about its plans to operate from six hubs. It has no links to NATO or troops from its member countries. From the moment of its launch, EUMA was a target for disinformation, as discussed in our analysis The wrong the wicked and the wacky. Claims about the EU mission in Armenia.
The mission was launched in Armenia in response to a request by Armenia. EUMA conducts routine patrolling and reports on the situation, which strengthens the EU’s understanding of the situation on the ground.
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: European Union, Fact checks / debunkings, International community, NATO, Russia, and Russian propaganda
DISINFO: NATO promotes fascism in Europe and uses proxy wars to destroy Russia // EU vs Disinfo
Source published on: May 16, 2024 /
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives portraying the war in Ukraine as a proxy war and blaming NATO and the so-called “Collective West” for it, accusing the EU of Nazism and claiming that Europe’s aim is to invade and destroy Russia in the long run.
These claims are made in the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and aim to deflect Russia’s responsibility for its aggression against this country.
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: Fact checks / debunkings, Fascism, Hatred and bigotry, International community, NATO, Russia, and Russian propaganda
DISINFO: Russia is open to fair dialogue on Ukraine // EU vs Disinfo
Source published on: May 15, 2024 /
This is an often used pro-Kremlin narrative according to which the West is interested in prolonging the war in Ukraine.
The assertion that Western countries harbour a desire for the continuation of the conflict in Ukraine lacks any substantial foundation and is devoid of factual support. Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin have a track record of pretending negotiations which are, in fact, just blunt demands for Ukrainian unconditional surrender. We have analysed and exposed this disinformation tactic in several articles, especially: “Prepare for winter” (30 Nov. 2023), “Russian so-called ‘peace proposals’ are empty PR stunts” (18 Jan. 2023) , “What He Said and What it Really Means – Vol. 2: “Negotiations” (1. March 2022) and “The Kremlin security demands” (21 Dec. 2021).
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: Fact checks / debunkings, Narratives, Negotiations and peace deals, Russia, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine
DISINFO: The attack on Robert Fico linked to NATO and Ukraine sponsored terrorism // EU vs Disinfo
Source published on: May 16, 2024 /
Pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives blaming Ukraine and the West for the attempt to kill Slovakian PM Robert Fico and for the Crocus City Hall terror attack in Moscow.
These baseless disinformation stories are part of a wider campaign by Russian officials and media -including by Vladimir Putin himself- to blame Ukraine, NATO and and other actors for both the attacks.
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: Fact checks / debunkings, International community, NATO, Ukraine, and USA
DISINFO: The IMF opposed the transfer of Russian assets to Ukraine // EU vs Disinfo
Source published on: May 16, 2024 /
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation aimed at deterring nations from seizing Russia’s frozen assets to fund Ukraine’s reconstruction by warning of an imminent economic collapse. The narrative also aims at undermining Ukraine’s cooperation with the International Monetary Fund.
The disinformation is based on a press conference by Julie Kozack, Director of the Communications Department of the International Monetary Fund, on May 16, 2024. Answering a question from journalists about the possible use of Russian assets to support Ukraine, Kozack noted that the International Monetary Fund insists on a thorough study of this decision and its consequences.
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: Fact checks / debunkings, International community, Russia, Ukraine, and United Nations
DISINFO: The Switzerland peace conference is set up to issue useless ultimatums to Russia // EU vs Disinfo
Source published on: May 16, 2024 /
This is an pre-emptive attempt to discredit the peace summit which Switzerland will host on 15-16 June 2024.
Following Ukraine’s request, Switzerland has invited over 160 delegations from around the world to join for the first Summit on Peace in Ukraine. The invitees include members of the G7, G20, BRICS, many other countries from all continents, as well as the EU, three international organisations and religious representatives. According to the Swiss government, the summit aims to create a framework favourable to comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine, as well as “a concrete roadmap for Russia’s participation in the peace process.”
If the summit does not provide fruitful results, it will be because of Russia’s impossible preconditions for a peaceful settlement. Russia refuses to engage in any talks before the “unconditional surrender of the Kiev [sic] regime.”
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: Fact checks / debunkings, Narratives, Negotiations and peace deals, Russia, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine
DISINFO: Ukraine may be involved in the attempt on Slovakia’s PM Robert Fico // EU vs Disinfo
Source published on: May 16, 2024 /
Unsubstantiated claim about the assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. This claim was made in the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
No evidence is provided to support the claim.
Fico was shot as he was speaking to people in the small town of Handlová after a government meeting there on 15 May 2024. The suspected gunman, identified by Slovak media as 71-year-old former security guard and amateur poet Juraj Cintula, was charged with attempted premeditated murder and was put in pre-trial detention by a special penal court on 18 May 2024. Fico is out of immediate danger now but remains in intensive care. The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned the attack on the prime minister of Slovakia.
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: Fact checks / debunkings and Ukraine
DISINFO: Ukrainian Army has de jure lost its supreme commander-in-chief Zelensky // EU vs Disinfo
Source published on: May 21, 2024 /
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aimed to defame President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian leadership to absolve Russia from its responsibility for the fact that Ukraine cannot hold elections for the moment.
Since 2022, Russia has waged large-scale armed aggression against Ukraine and is also responsible for the outbreak of the conflict in 2014, after having illegally annexed the Crimean Peninsula and engineered the creation of rebel militias in Donetsk, Luhansk and other places, with its army actively participating in military clashes.
Further, Zelenskyy’s reported decision to postpone next year’s presidential poll was made in accordance with current Ukrainian legislation. Article 19 of the 2015 Ukrainian law “On the Legal Regime of Martial Law” directly prohibits the holding of presidential and several other types of elections during wartime.
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: Democracy, Disinformation, Elections, Fact checks / debunkings, International community, Misconceptions, Ukraine, and United Nations
DISINFO: Zelenskyy is usurping power by cancelling elections // EU vs Disinfo
Source published on: May 21, 2024 /
This is a deliberate distortion of facts aiming to undermine the legitimacy of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a frequent target of pro-Kremlin disinformation.
This disinformation story claims that president Zelenskyy ‘cancelled the election’ to suggest a power-grabbing maneuver. However, this disingenuous formulation is not true, as a call for new elections actually never took place due to the ongoing war.
Ukraine’s constitution is straightforward: no elections can be held during wartime and the President of Ukraine exercises his powers until the assumption of office by the newly-elected President. The continuity of government institutions is one of the key principles of the Constitution.
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: Democracy, Disinformation, Elections, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russia, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine
No, Elijah Wood did not urge Volodymyr Zelensky to seek treatment for alleged addictions // France 24
Source published on: July 25, 2023 /
A video has been circulating online that allegedly shows “Lord of the Rings” actor Elijah Wood giving the Ukrainian president advice on how to tackle his alleged drug and alcohol addictions. He can be seen recording himself and talking to a so-called “Vladimir”. However, the video has been heavily edited and his agent has confirmed it was not published by the actor.
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: Coordinated disinformation, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Media taken out of context, Methods, Misconceptions, Narratives, Substance abuse, and Ukraine
No, this video does not prove that an attack on Odesa was staged by Ukraine // France 24
Source published on: July 28, 2023 /
A video has gone viral on social media, with users claiming it shows proof that the destruction of a historic cathedral in Odesa on the night of July 22 to 23 was staged by Ukrainian authorities. They argue that a woman in the video picks up the debris with too much ease for it to be real. However, the woman is actually picking up a light material, most likely polystyrene, so this does not prove that the attack was staged.
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: Attacks on religion, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russia, Ukraine, and War crimes
No, this video doesn’t show Ukrainian soldiers ‘giving up without a fight’ // France 24
Source published on: July 31, 2023 /
Pro-Russian social media accounts have been widely sharing a video that they claim shows Ukrainian soldiers surrendering to the Russian army en masse. The video, however, actually shows a prisoner swap between the Russian state-funded paramilitary group, the Wagner Group, and the Ukrainian army in May 2023.
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: Coordinated disinformation, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Media taken out of context, Methods, Misconceptions, Russia, Ukraine, and Wagner Group
No, this video doesn’t show Ukrainians setting fire to an Orthodox church // France 24
Source published on: April 11, 2023 /
Did Ukrainians really set a Russian Orthodox church on fire? A video purporting to show just that has been circulating online since April 5, 2023. However, it turns out that this video was filmed in Russia more than ten years ago and shows an accidental fire.
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: Attacks on religion, Coordinated disinformation, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Religion, Religious freedom, Russia, Russian propaganda, Ukraine, and War crimes
No, Ukraine didn’t release a postal stamp of a pro-Nazi soldier // France 24
Source published on: October 5, 2023 /
Pro-Russian social media accounts have been circulating an image of what they say is a Ukrainian postage stamp showing a Ukrainian veteran who fought alongside the Nazis in World World II. It turns out, however, that this isn”t a real stamp.
Indexed on 2024-10-15 01:30 // Categories: Coordinated disinformation, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Hatred and bigotry, Misconceptions, Nazism, and Ukraine