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.
Misleading claims on US border guards deploying to Europe spread online
Social media posts claim US President Joe Biden’s administration is leaving the country’s southern border exposed by asking guards protecting it to deploy to Europe to assist Americans fleeing Ukraine. But US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says the claim incorrectly conflates different branches of the agency, and that the personnel in question are not primarily tasked with guarding against illegal border crossings and smuggling.
Photo shows Slovakian soldier returning from Afghanistan in 2012 — it does not relate to Ukraine
After Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, an image of a man kissing a woman’s pregnant belly circulated in online posts that claimed it shows a Ukrainian soldier kissing his “unborn child goodbye” as he prepared to fight for his country. But the image — which has been shared hundreds of times — has circulated in a false context. It was originally published by the Slovakian defence ministry in a 2012 post about soldiers returning from a mission in Afghanistan.
Doctored image of President Zelensky holding a shirt bearing a swastika
A doctored image of President Zelensky holding a shirt bearing a swastika has been spread by pro-Kremlin accounts. The real image was posted by Mr Zelensky to Instagram ahead of Euro 2020 in June.
Old, Mislabeled Video Circulating Amid Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
A video from 2019 showing Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been circulating recently with the false claim that it shows Putin meeting with the South Korean president.
Megachurches in U.S. Are Supporting Ukraine Relief, Contrary to Social Media Posts
Several megachurches in the U.S. are actively raising funds to support Ukrainians in light of the Russian invasion. But social media posts have falsely claimed that “we haven’t seen a single American mega church offer anything to the Ukrainians.”
Photo shows British paratrooper, not Ukrainian soldier
Social media posts shared after Russia invaded Ukraine claim a photo shows one of Kyiv’s soldiers crying. But the picture was taken years earlier and shows a British paratrooper at a ceremony at which he received the beret of his brother, who was killed in Afghanistan.
Fabricated news alert falsely claims Russian president told South Africa’s ANC to keep out of its affairs
A purported screengrab posted on Facebook in South Africa and shared hundreds of times purports to show a news item published by local media house News24 according to which Russian President Vladimir Putin told the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to stop meddling in its affairs. But this is false; News24 denied the report belonged to them while the Russian embassy in South Africa dismissed the claim of a warning from Putin.
Doctored images do not show ‘Ukrainian protesters expressing support for Myanmar’
Following Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, images purporting to show Ukrainians rallying in support of people in coup-hit Myanmar have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook. Although there have been genuine reports of people in Myanmar publicly expressing support for Ukrainians, the images have been doctored. The original photos were taken during rallies held in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv before Russia’s invasion of the pro-Western country.
Artwork falsely shared as ‘genuine Time magazine cover’ likening Russia’s Putin to Hitler
Social media posts circulating globally following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have shared an image with the claim that it shows a genuine Time magazine cover that depicts Russian President Vladimir Putin with the nose and moustache of Adolf Hitler. However, the image shows an artwork that was created by a graphic designer, who said it was not intended as a Time cover. The magazine has also told AFP that the image “is not an authentic Time cover”.
Video of ‘fake Ukraine casualties’ shows filming for a TV show about a pandemic
Footage of a man and woman having fake blood applied has been viewed thousands of times in posts claiming it shows Ukraine “faking” civilian casualties following the Russian invasion. In fact, the clip was filmed in 2020 on the set of a series called “Contamin”.
How one ‘fact-checking’ site spreads Russian propaganda
A website called “War on Fakes” is using false claims made by Ukrainian outlets to disseminate Russian propaganda. DW takes a look at what and who’s behind it.
Ukraine invasion: False claims the war is a hoax go viral
Nearly two weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the flow of false or misleading information about the war hasn’t let up and now there are some outlandish theories being shared online.
Some have begun to circulate claims the war is a hoax, a media fabrication, or has been exaggerated by the West in terms of its scale.
We’ve examined some of them.
Rothschild & Co. Has Office in Russia, Contrary to Conspiracy Claim on Social Media
Rothschild & Co. has an office in Moscow and has been operating in Russia since the mid-1990s. Yet posts on social media falsely claim that Russia has barred the Rothschild banking family from doing business in the country. The claim is an adaptation of an old conspiracy theory about the family.
Story that claims Putin bombed a Biden-owned villa and ‘hammered’ biolabs, pedophile rings is bogus
A story that claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin bombed a villa in Ukraine owned by President Joe Biden is bogus. It was created by a misinformation website that regularly publishes made-up stories. We found no evidence that Biden has a villa in Ukraine.
Claims about nefarious biolabs in Ukraine ‘ some supposedly “U.S. owned” ‘ are also fabricated, and part of disinformation efforts by Russians.
It’s unclear what the blog is talking about in its reference to “pedophile rings,” but it claims that Putin is wiping out “child trafficking covens” in Ukraine, and we found no evidence that these exist.
Ukrainian island defenders were captured by Russia, not killed
Social media posts, online articles and Ukraine’s president hailed 13 of the country’s border guards as heroes, saying they were killed on a small Black Sea island after rejecting a Russian warship’s surrender demand. But Kyiv’s navy later admitted the troops were captive rather than dead, and Moscow said dozens had surrendered.
Internet hoaxers falsely identify US comic Sam Hyde as ‘Ghost of Kyiv’
Social media users are sharing an image of what appears to be US comic Sam Hyde in a fighter jet cockpit as proof that he is the mythical ‘Ghost of Kyiv’ responsible for shooting down numerous Russian jets amid the country’s invasion of Ukraine. This is false: while the existence of the viral ‘Ghost of Kyiv’ is unsubstantiated, AFP Fact Check found that an image of a US pilot has been edited to add Hyde’s face. This claim has nevertheless been taken seriously by some social media users who are not familiar with the US comic. It is part of a long-running hoax linking the comedian to tragic events worldwide.
CNN report about Russian warplanes in Venezuela is from 2018 and unrelated to Ukraine war
A Facebook post shared thousands of times in Nigeria claims that Russia has sent two nuclear bombers to Venezuela, landing them in what it describes as the ‘US backyard’. The claim, however, is misleading; while the events mentioned in a CNN report included in the post did take place, they happened in 2018 and have nothing to do with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Old footage of Vladimir Putin does not show him ‘frustrated’ after Ukraine press briefing
A video of Russian President Vladimir Putin ignoring his official motorcade to go for a walk has been viewed millions of times on Facebook alongside claims that it shows his frustration following a recent press briefing related to the Ukraine invasion. However, this is false; the video is from 2013 and was taken after Putin attended the funeral of his long-time judo trainer.
Old footage of a Canadian train ferrying armoured vehicles unrelated to war in Ukraine
A video of a long train transporting military vehicles has been shared on Facebook alongside a claim that the footage shows the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) sending tanks and equipment to Ukraine in support of its war against Russia. But this is false; the video has been circulating online since at least 2012 and shows a Canadian train operating in North America.
Old thunderstorm video falsely shared as ‘footage of Russia attacking Ukrainian city’
A nighttime video of buildings illuminated by ominous flashes of light has been viewed thousands of times globally on social media alongside a claim it shows Russian forces attacking the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. While the southeastern port city has been under heavy attack, the video was shared in a false context. The footage has circulated online months before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The social media user who filmed the clip told AFP it shows a thunderstorm in the Russian town of Volzhsk.