Source type Analysis

U.S. spending in Afghanistan dwarfs aid to Ukraine

Congress has approved about $111 billion in aid to Ukraine since the country was invaded by Russia in February 2022.

During a 20-year entanglement in Afghanistan, the U.S. spent between $825 billion and $2.3 trillion, depending on the source of the estimate and what's being included.

Even taking the lower estimate of $825 billion, the U.S. would have spent $714 billion more in Afghanistan than in aid to Ukraine.

We rate the claim that the amount the U.S. has spent in Ukraine is "double the U.S. expenditure for its own war in Afghanistan" False.

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Fabricated story falsely claims Vladimir Putin destroyed an adrenochrome lab in Ukraine

This story was fabricated. It appeared on Real Raw News, a site that regularly publishes false, fantastical stories authored by someone using a pseudonym.

Real Raw News stories are authored by someone using a pseudonym and the site has a disclaimer saying it contains "humor, parody and satire," though the author has defended his stories as truth.

We found no credible news reports or other sources to corroborate the claims in this post.

QAnon promotes a number of conspiracy theories that invoke pedophilia and a Democratic cabal. QAnon adherents were present during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. These ideas also infiltrated political discourse as recently as the 2022 midterm elections.

We rate this claim Pants on Fire!

Read MoreFabricated story falsely claims Vladimir Putin destroyed an adrenochrome lab in Ukraine
U.S. Aid to Ukraine, Explained

U.S. Aid to Ukraine, Explained

When asked whether Republicans would “make it more difficult” for Congress to approve Ukrainian aid, Rep. Mike Turner criticized the $40 billion package enacted in May, saying: “We don’t need to pass $40 billion large Democrat bills ... to send $8 billion to Ukraine.” Much more than that, however, was allocated for military support.

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Have gasoline prices fallen to pre-Ukraine war levels, as Joe Biden said?

According to the most recent weekly data, the cost of a gallon of gasoline is $3.53. That's exactly the same as it was just days before Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

Our ruling
Biden said, "Gas prices are down back to where they were before Russia invaded Ukraine."

Gas prices didn't start increasing with the onset of the war, but the most recent weekly price data shows the cost of a gallon of gasoline at $3.53, which is exactly the same as it was just days before Russia invaded Ukraine.

We rate the statement True.

Read MoreHave gasoline prices fallen to pre-Ukraine war levels, as Joe Biden said?

Photos of war makeup in Ukraine are from combat medic training in 2016

Four photos being shared on social media of a woman having war wound makeup applied to her face and body are from a medic training exercise in 2016.

At least one of the images was posted by an Instagram user whose profile describes her as a combat medic in Ukraine. The same woman appears in three of the photos.

A Twitter user with the same handle as the Instagram user tweeted Nov. 25 that "enemy propagandists" stole her photos from the 2016 training sessions to misrepresent them.

Allegations that images showing war devastation in Ukraine were staged have been shared on social media since Russia invaded the country in February.

We've debunked multiple claims about photos, including a false one that said a teacher injured on the first day of the war was a crisis actor.

Our ruling
An Instagram post claims that photos of war wound makeup being applied to a woman are fake combat photos, implying the violence in Ukraine isn't real.

But the photos can be traced to an Instagram user who described herself as a combat medic veteran. She shared at least one of the images on Instagram in 2016. A woman with the same handle on Twitter wrote that the photos were from training sessions and were being misrepresented by "enemy propagandists."

There is no evidence the photos were staged to show an injury from the current battle in Ukraine. We rate the claim False.

UPDATE, Dec. 1, 5:30 p.m. ET: The story was updated Dec. 1 to add the response from an Instagram user received after publication of this article.

Read MorePhotos of war makeup in Ukraine are from combat medic training in 2016