Did the Head of the Wagner Group Write a Children’s Book? // Snopes
Source published on: June 28, 2023 /
Yevgeny Prigozhin and his mercenary force launched a brief rebellion in Russia in June 2023.
Indexed on 2023-06-28 12:00 // Categories: Fact checks / debunkings, Russia, and Wagner Group
Did Zelenskyy Say There Would Be No Elections in Ukraine Until War Ends? // Snopes
Source published on: June 28, 2023 /
The Ukrainian Constitution does not allow for elections when martial law is imposed.
Indexed on 2023-06-28 12:00 // Categories: Democracy, Elections, Fact checks / debunkings, and Ukraine
Does the Ukrainian Military Display a ‘Nazi Cross’ on Some Vehicles or Tanks? | Snopes.com // Snopes
Source published on: June 28, 2023 /
The cross at issue in the viral video is neither a modern-era German Iron Cross nor the simple cross used as an indicator by the Ukrainian army. It is true that variants similar to the cross in the viral video had been used by the Nazis in World War II.
This type of cross has a specific history in Ukraine, however, that predated its use in Nazi Germany. A guerrilla warfare campaign carried out by the Ukrainian National Army against the Red Army and other forces from 1919 to 1920 is known as the First Winter Campaign. […] A “steel cross,” as it is sometimes described in Ukraine, was the symbol of that Winter Campaign – the military award given for participation in these campaigns contained that equidistant cross.
In 2019, a Ukrainian military unit that has been fighting in the Donbas region of Ukraine since 2014 – the 28th Mechanized Infantry Brigade – was renamed “Knights of the First Winter Campaign.” That Brigade’s insignia, approved by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, presently contains this same cross. […]
While one could debate the merits of using a symbol that has since become complicated by its use in other contexts, there is no reason to interpret such cross’s use in Ukraine as a reference to Nazism.
Indexed on 2024-10-14 10:38 // Categories: AI-generated images, Aid to Ukraine, Fact checks / debunkings, Germany, Hatred and bigotry, International community, Media taken out of context, Methods, Military aid, Misconceptions, Nazism, and Ukraine
No, the U.S. didn’t ‘accidentally’ send an extra $6 billion to Ukraine // VERIFY
Source published on: June 28, 2023 /
No, the U.S. government did not accidentally send an extra $6 billion to Ukraine.
This viral claim takes what actually happened completely out of context. The U.S. actually sent about $6 billion less than it intended in military equipment to Ukraine â not $6 billion more.
That happened because the Pentagon overestimated the value of military equipment sent to the country, meaning it was worth about $6 billion less than originally estimated.
Indexed on 2024-10-14 10:38 // Categories: Aid oversight, Aid to Ukraine, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, International community, Military aid, Misconceptions, Ukraine, and USA
BBC: What is Russia’s Wagner group of mercenaries and why did it march on Moscow? // BBC News
Source published on: June 27, 2023 /
BBC article: Introduction to the Wagner Group, in the wake of their failed coup attempt against Putin (24 June, 2023)
Indexed on 2023-06-27 06:40 // Categories: Russia and Wagner Group
FACT CHECK: No, German Satirical Magazine The Titanic’s June 2023 Cover Does Not Show Volodymr Zelenskyy | Check Your Fact // Check Your Fact (The Daily Caller)
Source published on: June 27, 2023 /
A photo shared on Facebook alleges German satirical magazine The Titanic depicted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with his pants down.
Verdict: False
The alleged cover cannot be found in an archive of Titanic Magazine’s recent covers and cannot be found on any of its verified social media accounts.
Indexed on 2024-10-14 10:38 // Categories: AI-generated images, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Germany, International community, Methods, Misconceptions, and Ukraine
These videos do not show clashes between the Wagner Group and Russian forces // France 24
Source published on: June 27, 2023 /
In the aftermath of the armed rebellion attempt by Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner mercenary group against the Russian army command on Saturday June 24, people began sharing images online purporting to show the two sides fighting. But at least two of these videos were taken from the video game Arma 3 – and it’s not the first time this military video game has been used to spread misinformation.
Indexed on 2023-06-27 12:00 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Media taken out of context, Methods, Misconceptions, Russia, and Wagner Group
Fake: Zelenskyy Refused to Hold Elections And Seized Power in Ukraine // StopFake.org
Source published on: June 26, 2023 /
“Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not refuse to hold elections in Ukraine. The Constitution of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine “On the Legal Regime of Martial Law” expressly prohibit holding any elections to the executive and legislative branches of government during wartime.”
Indexed on 2023-06-26 12:00 // Categories: Democracy, Disinformation, Elections, Misconceptions, and Ukraine
Fake: Zelenskyy Refused to Hold Elections And Seized Power in Ukraine // StopFake.org
Source published on: June 26, 2023 /
Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not refuse to hold elections in Ukraine. The Constitution of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine “On the Legal Regime of Martial Law” expressly prohibit holding any elections to the executive and legislative branches of government during wartime.
Indexed on 2023-06-26 12:00 // Categories: Coordinated disinformation, Corruption, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russia, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine
NPR: After its march toward Moscow, what’s next for Russia’s Wagner Group? // NPR
Source published on: June 26, 2023 /
NPR summarizes the status of the Wagner Group, a few days after their coup attempt against Putin (24 June, 2023).
Indexed on 2023-06-27 06:05 // Categories: Russia and Wagner Group
Source published on: June 24, 2023 /
An introduction to the Wagner Group, with many links to high-quality sources.
Indexed on 2023-06-27 06:22 // Categories: Russia and Wagner Group
Has Zelensky Announced ‘Full General Mobilization’ of Ukraine? // Newsweek
Source published on: June 23, 2023 /
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.
Indexed on 2023-06-23 12:00 // Categories: Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Russian propaganda, and Ukraine
Accounting error on military support does not mean US sent Ukraine $6.2 billion by mistake // PolitiFact
Source published on: June 22, 2023 /
The U.S. committed about $78 billion in humanitarian, financial and military assistance to Ukraine from January 2022 to February 2023, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German-based research organization that tracks nations’ support of Ukraine, reported.
The U.S. total included $47 billion in military aid. That figure ranked highest among all nations and 14th as a percentage of gross domestic product.
A Pew Research Center poll in June of U.S. adults age 18 and older found that 31% of respondents said the U.S. is providing the right amount of aid to Ukraine, 28% said too much and 16% said not enough.
The Pentagon did not say that it mistakenly sent Ukraine $6.2 billion in cash.
We rate the Facebook post False.
Indexed on 2023-06-22 12:00 // Categories: Aid oversight, Aid to Ukraine, Corruption, Fact checks / debunkings, International community, Military aid, Misconceptions, Ukraine, and USA
Damaged cultural sites in Ukraine verified by UNESCO // UNESCO
Source published on: June 19, 2023 /
UNESCO list of damaged cultural sites in Ukraine – 260 as of 19 June. (Note that this list includes only those sites that have been verified by UNESCO – a complete list would be far longer.)
Indexed on 2023-07-04 11:16 // Categories: Attacks on religion, Cultural genocide, International community, Religion, Religious freedom, Russia, Ukraine, Ukrainian culture, United Nations, Updating, and War crimes
Did RFK Jr. Claim That Ukraine Has Cost U.S. $8 Trillion? // Newsweek
Source published on: June 19, 2023 /
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.
Indexed on 2023-06-19 12:00 // Categories: Aid to Ukraine, Disinformation, Fact checks / debunkings, Misconceptions, Ukraine, and USA