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Did Elijah Wood Tell Zelensky via Instagram to Go to Rehab?

Apart from the fact that the video has been bizarrely edited, it does not mention Zelensky, only someone named Vladimir, and is attributed to an Instagram account with no web presence. Elijah Wood does not have a public Instagram account and the video being shared of him online, allegedly asking Zelensky to seek treatment, is the only recording available. The video appears to have been spread as a Russian propaganda effort and to promote a dubious documentary that falsely credits Tom Cruise as its star. Although Newsweek is yet to hear from Wood's representatives for comment, we are confident that the video and claims surrounding it are, respectively, inauthentic and false.

September 18, 2023
Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Media taken out of context Misconceptions Russian propaganda Substance abuse Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Joe Rogan Claims U.S. Accidentally Sent $6.2 Billion to Ukraine

The U.S. did not accidentally send $6.2 billion to Ukraine. An overestimation of the cost of some military hardware meant that $6.2 billion was not spent in the transfer of U.S. stocks to Ukraine. While the DOD has said that this can now be used toward future stock drawdowns authorized by the president, that does not mean $6.2 billion has been sent accidentally, and all that implies, to Ukraine.

September 18, 2023
Aid oversight Aid to Ukraine Corruption Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Misconceptions Russian propaganda Ukraine USA

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

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.

September 18, 2023
Corruption Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Misconceptions Russian propaganda Ukraine

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

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.

September 18, 2023
Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Misconceptions Russia

Was Russian Soldier Blown Up Bashing Tank With Artillery Shell?

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.

September 18, 2023
Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Misconceptions Russia

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

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.

September 18, 2023
Aid to Ukraine Fact checks / debunkings Misconceptions Ukraine USA

Has Zelensky Announced ‘Full General Mobilization’ of Ukraine?

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.

September 18, 2023
Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Misconceptions Russian propaganda Ukraine

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

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.

September 18, 2023
Aid to Ukraine Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Misconceptions Ukraine USA

Tucker Carlson Says Ukraine Considered Destroying Kakhovka Dam

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.

September 18, 2023
Disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Misconceptions Russian propaganda Ukraine War crimes

Did RFK Jr. Use Russian Photo in Campaign Ad?

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.

September 18, 2023
Fact checks / debunkings Russia USA