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 2023-07-28 12:00 // Categories: Attacks on religion, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russia, Ukraine, and War crimes
RFK Jr. Claims U.S. Pushed Ukraine to War With Russia // Newsweek
Source published on: July 28, 2023 /
No evidence was provided to support the claim Johnson blocked a peace agreement, and the claim that Russia withdrew its forces from Kyiv due to an agreement with Zelensky is widely disputed by political and military experts.
Newsweek has put each of the claims it investigated to RFK Jr.’s spokespeople via email. There has been no response as of the time of publication.
Unless RFK Jr. can provide substantive proof to support some of his arguments, the claims the Democratic hopeful made on Fox News simply do not match the facts.
Indexed on 2023-07-28 12:00 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russia, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine
Ukraine Video Does Not Show Women Carrying Film Prop Stones Out of Church Hit by Russian Airstrike // Snopes
Source published on: July 27, 2023 /
This tweet, as well as others, implied that the objects the women were carrying were lightweight movie props, perhaps meant to resemble heavy pieces of concrete.
However, higher-quality video of the original footage shows that the materials carried by these women were not heavy stones or concrete, but rather a “light, polystyrene-like material” that had likely been used for the church’s insulation.
Indexed on 2024-10-14 10:38 // Categories: Fact checks / debunkings, Media taken out of context, Methods, Misconceptions, Narratives, The war is a hoax, 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 2023-07-25 12:00 // Categories: Coordinated disinformation, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Media taken out of context, Methods, Misconceptions, Narratives, Substance abuse, and Ukraine
UN infographic: “Before you share, think” // United Nations
Source published on: July 22, 2023 /
“We all have a role to play in stopping the spread of harmful misinformation online, which can result in people being left uninformed, unprotected & vulnerable.
Before you share content online, pause to verify facts by asking basic questions.”
Indexed on 2023-07-23 01:36 // Categories: Disinformation, Infographics, Misconceptions, Resources, and United Nations
Did Elijah Wood Tell Zelensky via Instagram to Go to Rehab? // Newsweek
Source published on: July 21, 2023 /
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.
Indexed on 2023-07-21 12:00 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Media taken out of context, Misconceptions, Russian propaganda, Substance abuse, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy
FACT CHECK: No, Zelenskyy Did Not Say He Did Not Know Who Blew Up The Kerch Bridge | Check Your Fact // Check Your Fact (The Daily Caller)
Source published on: July 21, 2023 /
A video shared on Twitter claims Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy said he did not know who blew up the Kerch Bridge.
Verdict: False
Zelenskyy was discussing Ukraine obtaining the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), not the attack on the Kerch Bridge.
Indexed on 2024-10-14 10:38 // Categories: Aid to Ukraine, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Media taken out of context, Methods, Military aid, Misconceptions, and Ukraine
Fake: Woman Jailed for 10 Years for Corresponding With Sister in Russia // StopFake.org
Source published on: July 21, 2023 /
Russian social media claims that a Ukrainian court sentenced a woman to 10 years imprisonment for corresponding with a sister in Russia and posting a picture criticizing a Ukrainian nationalist leader, are propagandist fakes. The woman was in fact convicted for sending Ukrainian military locations to the invading Russian army.
Indexed on 2024-10-14 10:38 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Media taken out of context, Methods, Misconceptions, Russia, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine
Joe Rogan Claims U.S. Accidentally Sent $6.2 Billion to Ukraine // Newsweek
Source published on: July 20, 2023 /
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.
Indexed on 2023-07-20 12:00 // Categories: Aid oversight, Aid to Ukraine, Corruption, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russian propaganda, Ukraine, and USA
Does Zelensky Live in $5.5M Mansion With Infinity Pool? // Newsweek
Source published on: July 19, 2023 /
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.
Indexed on 2023-07-19 12:00 // Categories: Corruption, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine
FACT CHECK: Did Zelenskyy Belly Dance In A Sparkly Gold Costume? | Check Your Fact // Check Your Fact (The Daily Caller)
Source published on: July 19, 2023 /
A post shared on social media purportedly shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dancing.
Verdict: False
The claim is inaccurate. The video is not of Zelenskyy.
Indexed on 2024-10-14 10:38 // Categories: AI-generated images, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Methods, Misconceptions, and Ukraine
Is This a Real Photograph of Zelenskyy’s Home? | Snopes.com // Snopes
Source published on: July 19, 2023 /
The above photograph does not show Zelenskyy’s home. Using Google’s reverse-image search tool, we found the same photograph on a number of real estate websites showing luxury properties in France and Monaco.
Given that the author of the original tweet pulled the photo from real estate profiles of a house in France, without providing any evidence of its ownership, we rate this photograph as “Miscaptioned.”
Indexed on 2024-10-14 10:38 // Categories: Aid oversight, Aid to Ukraine, Corruption, Fact checks / debunkings, International community, Media taken out of context, Methods, Misconceptions, Narratives, Outrageous luxuries, Ukraine, and USA
Is This a Real Video of a Traffic Jam of People Fleeing Crimea in July 2023? // Snopes
Source published on: July 18, 2023 /
According to social media users, tourists were leaving Crimea in the aftermath of an attack on a significant bridge.
Indexed on 2023-07-18 12:00 // Categories: Fact checks / debunkings, Russia, and Ukraine
On 17 July, 2014: Russia shot down a passenger airplane over Ukraine, killing everyone aboard. // Visegrád 24
Source published on: July 17, 2023 /
On this day 9 years ago, Russia shot down Malaysia Airlines MH17 over Eastern Ukraine, killing 298 people. This picture shows the bodies of 193 Dutch citizens being returned to the Netherlands.
Indexed on 2023-08-10 04:34 // Categories: Attacks on civilians, Context, Malaysia Airlines MH17, Russia, Ukraine, and War crimes
The biggest obstacle to Ukraine’s counteroffensive? Minefields. // Washington Post
Source published on: July 15, 2023 /
The Washington Post reports: “In a painstakingly slow process that has come to define the speed of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, small groups of sappers on the front lines are crawling across minefields — sometimes literally on their stomachs — to detonate Russia’s defenses and clear a path for troops to advance.
The long buildup to the counteroffensive, which began about a month ago across multiple segments of the battlefield in the country’s east and south, gave the Russians time to prepare, soldiers said. Areas between 3 and 10 miles deep in front of the Russians’ main strongholds have been densely mined with antitank and antipersonnel mines and trip wires. These defenses have been successful in stalling the Ukrainian advance, they said.”
Indexed on 2023-08-01 12:07 // Categories: Counteroffensive 2023 and Ukraine