Fact check: What’s true and what’s false about the invasion of Ukraine
False and misleading information about the Russian invasion of Ukraine has spread rapidly on social media since Russian forces launched a military assault in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 24.
Here’s a roundup of claims related to the Ukraine-Russia conflict analyzed by the USA TODAY Fact Check team:
Fact check:Putin’s claims justifying war in Ukraine are baseless, experts say
U.S. and European relations with Russia, Ukraine
Claim: There are U.S. biolabs in Ukraine funded by the U.S. government
Our rating: False
The labs in question are owned and funded by the Ukrainian government. The social media posts misrepresent a treaty between the U.S. and Ukraine aimed at preventing biological threats, and numerous reports indicate the claim is tied to a years-long Russian disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the U.S. Read more.
Claim: Ukraine was the largest donor to the Clinton Foundation
Our rating: False
Though foreign governments have contributed to the Clinton Foundation, Ukraine is not listed as a donor. The claims misrepresent a 2015 report on donations made between 1999 and 2014 ranked by the nationality of individual contributors, not foreign governments. The vast majority of donations from Ukrainian nationals to the Clinton Foundation in a chart that was part of that report came from one individual. Read more.
Claim: Vladimir Putin has banned the Rothschild family from entering Russia
Our rating: False
There’s no evidence supporting the claim that Putin has banned the Rothschild family from entering Russia, which was first published in 2016 and has been debunked by independent fact-checking organizations. The Rothschild family’s company has an office in Moscow. Read more.
Claim: President Joe Biden plans to sell Alaska to Russia
Our rating: Satire
The claim that the U.S. president plans to sell Alaska to Russia is satire. It stems from an article published by The Babylon Bee, a satire website. There is no evidence Biden plans to sell Alaska. Read more.
Claim: Sean Penn’s pre-war Ukraine visit is evidence of propaganda
Our rating: Missing context
Actor Sean Penn’s visit to Ukraine in November 2021 for a documentary offers no proof of political propaganda. At the time of his visit, there were already concerns that Russia might invade parts of Ukraine, and the conflict between the two countries dates back to at least 2014. Read more.
Claim: Poland is sending jets to a US air base in Germany to send to Ukraine
Our rating: Missing context
The U.S. Department of Defense said it would not advance Poland’s plan to send jets to a U.S. air base in Germany so jets could be sent on to Ukraine. Polish officials announced the proposal before it was cleared by the Biden administration. Read more.
Claim: President Joe Biden said there is a ‘new world order’
Our rating: Missing context
Biden did not confirm a world domination conspiracy theory when he mentioned a “new world order.” He was describing international changes from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and historians say politicians have used the term for decades. Read more.
Claim: The Space Foundation stripped the honors of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin
Our rating: Missing context
The Space Foundation did not revoke any awards or remove any honors from Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. A spokesperson said the nonprofit changed the name of a fundraising event this year in light of recent events to not distract from the event’s purpose. Read more.
Claim: The Russian invasion of Ukraine is ‘scripted and staged’
Our rating: False
There is ample evidence the conflict in Ukraine is real. Photos and videos from correspondents on the ground have shown the extensive damage done to buildings, and the toll inflicted on civilians. A number of countries and international humanitarian organizations have responded to the conflict and confirmed the situation there. Read more.
Claim: The price of crude oil increased 513% between Joe Biden’s inauguration and the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Our rating: False
Data shows crude oil prices increased by around 75% between Biden’s first day in office and the day Russia launched its attack on Ukraine. Experts say different international factors are responsible for the surge in crude oil prices. Read more.
Claim: Ukraine announced it’s the first country to implement the ‘Great Reset’ through a mobile app
Our rating: False
The Diia app, which allows Ukrainians to upload identification documents, is not connected to the World Economic Forum’s Great Reset proposal. Read more.
Claim: George Soros is wanted in Russia and has been declared a ‘global terrorist’ in China
Our rating: False
There is no evidence Soros is wanted in Russia or that he was declared a terrorist in China. An Open Society Foundations spokesperson said the claims are false. Read more.
Claim: Biden administration is “sucking the Strategic Oil Reserve dry”
Our rating: False
The Biden administration’s planned release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is the largest on record, but the amount scheduled to be removed is one-third of the total. Read more.
Claim: Ukraine is the money laundering and child sex trafficking “capital of the world”
Our rating: False
Ukraine isn’t ranked the worst in human trafficking or money laundering, experts say. Reports indicate these problems are more prominent in other countries. Read more.
Claim: Pentagon officials said Volodymyr Zelenskyy and George Soros are cousins
Our rating: False
There is no evidence Zelenskyy and Soros are cousins, and the Pentagon said it did not issue a statement claiming otherwise. Read more.
Claim: Russian forces captured a U.S. general in Mariupol, Ukraine
Our rating: False
Russian forces did not capture a U.S. general in Mariupol. NATO said its Allied Land Command leader is in Turkey, and no forces have been deployed to Ukraine. Read more.
False or misleading videos
Claim: A video shows Russian soldiers parachuting into Ukraine
Our rating: False
A viral video, recorded by a man in a military uniform, shows a handful of people with parachutes descending into an open field. But the video was posted on Instagram in 2015, nearly seven years before Russia invaded Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: A video shows a recent explosion in Ukraine
Our rating: False
A viral video shows a flash of light followed by an orange glow behind several darkened buildings, claiming its setting is Ukraine. However, the video was shared to TikTok in January and has nothing to do with the Russian invasion. Read more.
Claim: Video shows explosion in Ukraine
Our rating: False
In a video claiming to be set in Ukraine, a massive ball of fire explodes in the air. What the video actually shows is an explosion at a chemical warehouse in an industrial city in China. It was captured by an American survivor in 2015. Read more.
Claim: A video shows a Russian fighter jet in Ukraine
Our rating: False
An online video clip shows a plane falling from the sky and bursting into flames, purporting to show a Russian jet shot down by the Ukrainian military. But the footage really shows a Libyan plane shot down by rebels over Benghazi in March 2011, a decade before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: A video shows Ukrainian police dropping their equipment and walking away
Our rating: Missing context
A video purports to show Odesa police abandoning their equipment and “refusing to go against its people.” While the clip does show Odesa police, the footage is from a May 2014 pro-Russian demonstration. It is unrelated to the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: A video shows Russian jets flying over Kyiv
Our rating: False
A video claims Russian planes can be seen flying over the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. But the video actually shows a flyover practice in Moscow ahead of the city’s celebration of Victory Day and was posted in May 2020. Read more.
Claim: A video shows war between Russia and Ukraine
Our rating: False
A video claims to show war between Russia and Ukraine before the former had invaded the latter. That’s not true. The video shows footage from “Arma 3,” a military-style video game. At the time the footage was posted, on Feb. 20, Russia had not invaded Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: A BBC News segment depicts a military escalation between Russia and NATO
Our rating: False
A video that purports to show a BBC News segment narrating the escalation of Russian and NATO combat is actually just an out-of-context dramatization made as a training video. The BBC previously debunked its association to the clip in 2018, tracing its source to a private company that identified it as fictional. The video’s actor has also gone on the record to say that the clip is fictional. Read more.
Claim: A video shows a Russian tank running over a Ukrainian car
Our rating: Missing context
News organizations and an eyewitness confirmed the authenticity of a video showing an armored vehicle running over a civilian car in Ukraine. But claims that the armored vehicle shows a “Russian tank” are unproven. Military experts say the vehicle is likely a Strela-10, which is used by both Russian and Ukrainian armed forces. Read more.
Claim: A video shows Ukrainian and Russian troops face to face
Our rating: Missing context
While a video shows Russian and Ukrainian soldiers, it wasn’t captured during the Russian invasion. The standoff between soldiers took place in 2014 in Crimea. Read more.
Claim: A video shows Ukrainians destroying Russian tanks with Molotov cocktails
Our rating: False
While volunteers in Ukraine have been producing Molotov cocktails, the video doesn’t depict Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The footage shows Ukrainians clashing with police in 2014 during anti-government demonstrations in Kyiv’s central square. Read more.
Claim: A video shows a ‘huge’ military convoy heading to Ukraine
Our rating: False
A video showing a train snaking its way through the countryside, pulling a long line of flatcars loaded with tanks, is not related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The footage in question shows an American railway company carrying tanks in Southern California and is at least four years old. Read more.
Claim: A video shows an explosion at the Ukraine international airport
Our rating: False
A video that shows a massive explosion engulfing the sky near a populated area shows an explosion at a Ukrainian air base in the city of Melitopol, not the non-existent “Ukraine International Airport.” But numerous international airports in Ukraine have suffered Russian missile strikes. Read more.
Claim: A video shows Russian soldiers preparing nuclear weapons
Our rating: False
A video purporting to show Russian soldiers preparing nuclear missiles actually shows a British journalist jokingly placing a lighter near a decommissioned intercontinental ballistic missile. The video was taken in 2014 in Ukraine during the filming of the “Top Gear” TV show. Read more.
Claim: A video shows families fleeing a battle
Our rating: Missing context
A video clip that shows families hurrying to run behind troop lines as an explosion flings debris in the background is a 2021 Russian reenactment of a World War II battle. The video is unrelated to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: A video shows Russians and Ukrainians dancing together
Our rating: Missing context
A video that shows several uniformed individuals dancing to upbeat music in a muddy field while a nearby crowd of clapping soldiers stand on honking armored vehicles is missing context. The video was first shared at least a week before Russian forces invaded Ukraine, and Crimean news reports indicate the dancing took place after a planned tactical exercise in the peninsula. USA TODAY found no evidence the soldiers are members of the Ukrainian military. Read more.
Claim: A video shows the Ukrainian Air Force shooting down a Russian jet
Our rating: False
A video of jets passing over a building and a projectile seemingly striking an object in the sky does not show the Ukrainian Air Force shooting down a Russian jet. The video is from a video game called “Digital Combat Simulator World.” Read more.
Claim: Ukrainians are posting videos about ‘how to drive abandoned or captured Russian military vehicles’
Our rating: Missing context
The claim that Ukrainians are posting videos about “how to drive abandoned or captured Russian military vehicles” is missing context. The video in the post was initially published a year before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: A video shows ‘crisis actors’ pretending to be dead in Ukraine
Our rating: False
A video that shows dozens of people lying in what appear to be body bags, with one of the people moving, does not show crisis actors pretending to be dead. The video is from an Austrian climate protest that occurred weeks before the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. Read more.
Claim: A video shows Ukrainian soldiers saying goodbye to their wives before going to war
Our rating: Missing context
A video that shows women crying and hugging two men wearing military uniforms and black balaclavas is taken out of context. The video was shot in 2014 as soldiers prepared to fight Russia-backed rebels in the Donbas region and was used for a documentary. It has nothing to do with the invasion of Ukraine, as the social media posts imply. Read more.
Claim: Video shows meeting between Vladimir Putin and South Korean president
Our rating: False
Putin and the South Korean president are not seen meeting in this viral video. The video actually shows a 2019 meeting between Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Read more.
Claim: A video shows Ukrainian and Russian soldiers playing tug-of-war
Our rating: False
Footage purporting to show Ukrainian and Russian soldiers playing tug-of-war actually shows Canadian and American service members in 2012 during a joint training session in Indiana. Read more.
Claim: Video shows downed Russian fighter jet on highway
Our rating: False
A 2014 promotional Star Wars video was falsely described online as showing a downed Russian fighter jet in Kyiv. Read more.
Claim: Video shows Ukrainian soldiers killing civilians in Chechnya
Our rating: False
A video purporting to show Ukrainian soldiers killing people in Chechnya is actually a clip from the 2014 fictional film “The Search.” Read more.
Claim: A video shows Putin threatening Kenya
Our rating: False
A Feb. 24 Russian state television broadcast on Putin’s reasoning for a military operation in Ukraine has been inaccurately captioned online as showing Putin threatening Kenya. Read more.
Claim: Video shows South Sudan president apologizing to Putin after threat
Our rating: False
A viral video doesn’t show an exchange between the president of Russia and the president of South Sudan. The subtitles are inaccurate, and one clip of the South Sudan leader is included out of context. Read more.
Claim: A video shows Russian troops making a temporary bridge
Our rating: False
A video shows part of NATO’s 2017 training exercise in Lithuania, and it is unrelated to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: ‘Not one raw footage video’ has come out of Ukraine despite widespread internet connectivity
Our rating: False
While misleading and edited footage is spreading online, journalists and news outlets have verified plenty of raw footage from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Read more.
Claim: A video shows the destruction of Russian military aircraft and tanks
Our rating: False
A viral clip shows a popular video game, not the destruction of Russian military aircraft and tanks. Read more.
Claim: A video shows drones putting out a high-rise fire in Ukraine
Our rating: False
The footage shows a 2020 drone firefighting demonstration in China, not drones putting out a high-rise fire in Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: A video shows American soldiers parachuting into Ukraine
Our rating: False
A video purporting to show American soldiers parachuting into Ukraine was recorded in 2016 and shows a military training exercise in North Carolina. Read more.
Claim: A video shows soldiers destroying a Russian tank
Our rating: False
A viral 9-minute video shows footage from the video game Arma 3, not soldiers destroying a Russian tank with an anti-tank weapon. Read more.
Claim: Footage shows a Ukrainian boy crossing the Polish border alone
Our rating: False
A Ukrainian boy seen crossing the Polish border in a viral video wasn’t traveling alone, according to the Polish Border Guard. Read more.
Claim: Video shows new graves for Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine
Our rating: False
A video purporting to show new graves for Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine dates back to at least 2021 and shows pre-drug graves in preparation for frozen soil conditions in the winter. Read more.
Claim: Ukraine’s emergency wartime payment is dependent on a citizen’s COVID-19 vaccination status
Our rating: False
Ukraine’s government said all citizens impacted by the war are eligible for an emergency wartime payment, and there is no mention of a COVID-19 vaccine requirement. Online posts distorted a speech from Ukraine’s prime minister about the relief program. Read more.
Claim: A video shows Slovak lawmakers pouring water on the Ukrainian flag
Our rating: Missing context
A video of opposition lawmakers in Slovakia pouring water on a Ukrainian flag was taken prior to the Russian invasion. Slovakia is a NATO member and has supported Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: A video shows a ‘dead’ Ukrainian smoking a cigarette
Our rating: False
A video purporting to show a “dead” Ukrainian smoking a cigarette shows an actor smoking in a body bag for a Russian music video. Read more.
Deceptive use of images
Claim: A photo shows a Russian jet going down in flames as it invaded Ukraine
Our rating: False
The image that claims to show a Russian jet crashing in flames as it invaded Ukraine was actually taken in 1993, after two Russian fighter jets collided in mid-air while performing at an airshow in England. Read more.
Claim: An image shows a Russian plane shot down by Ukraine
Our rating: False
The photo of a plane falling from the sky was captured in August 2015 during an air show in Russia. Read more.
Claim: A photo shows Ukrainians praying in the snow ‘in this phase of war danger’
Our rating: Missing context
The photo of people praying in the snow is from Ukraine, but it has circulated online since at least 2019. It does not show Ukrainians praying during recent tensions with Russia. Read more.
Claim: A photo shows an explosion in Ukraine
Our rating: False
An image of a large explosion depicts Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip in May 2021, not ongoing fighting in Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: A photo shows a celebration after Ukraine’s president lifted a ban on proselytizing
Our rating: False
The image of thousands protesting was taken in 2017 during a celebration in Kyiv of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. USA TODAY found no evidence that Ukraine ever banned proselytizing. Read more.
Claim: An image of a woman holding a rifle shows ‘life in Ukraine, now’
Our rating: False
The photo of a woman holding a rifle on a bus while checking her phone was first shared online in March 2020. A Russian social media influencer said it shows her posing with a fake weapon after a photo shoot. Read more.
Claim: Image shows Japanese ambassador to Ukraine dressed as a samurai who stayed in Kiev
Our rating: False
A photo purporting to show the Japanese ambassador to Ukraine dressed in a samurai outfit in Kyiv actually shows the Ukrainian ambassador to Japan. The image was captured prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: An image shows Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in military uniform ‘alongside his people’
Our rating: Missing context
While a photo showing Zelenskyy in military garb is authentic, it wasn’t captured recently amid current conflict with Russia. It was taken in early 2021 when he visited troops in eastern Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: An image shows Ukraine first lady Olena Zelenska in uniform
Our rating: False
A viral image shows a Ukrainian soldier at a military parade rehearsal in Kyiv in August 2021, not Ukraine’s first lady. Some users claimed the photo shows the vice president’s wife, however there is no vice president role in Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: An image of a wounded child is from the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Our rating: False
A 2018 photo of a wounded girl in a hospital after a bombing in Syria is being falsely described online as showing a wounded child from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: A photo shows children saluting Ukrainian troops
Our rating: Missing context
An image of a young boy and girl saluting Ukrainian soldiers predates Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The photo is from 2016, two years after the Russian annexation of Crimea. Read more.
Claim: A photo shows a Time magazine cover comparing Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler
Our rating: Altered
An image depicting a supposed Time magazine cover comparing Russian President Vladimir Putin and Adolf Hitler is altered. A graphic designer created the photo of Putin and Hitler and edited it to appear as if it were a real Time cover. The magazine’s most recent cover shows a Russian tank, not Putin. Read more.
Claim: An image shows a Ukrainian girl confronting a Russian soldier
Our rating: False
Viral pictures of a young girl appearing to shout and wave her fist in front of a soldier with a gun weren’t taken in Ukraine. The image shows a Palestinian girl confronting an Israeli soldier in the West Bank in 2012. Read more.
Claim: Former beauty queen Anastasiia Lenna joined the Ukrainian military
Our rating: False
Viral photos purporting to show former Miss Grand Ukraine Anastasiia Lenna joining the military to defend her country actually show her posing with an airsoft gun, which she says were meant to inspire people amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Lenna clarified she has not joined the military and that she is an airsoft player. Her Instagram page shows she has been sharing airsoft game photos for years. Read more.
Claim: An image shows Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko with a machine gun
Our rating: Missing context
A photo that shows Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitscheko with a machine gun is from March 2021 when he visited a military training center. It is unrelated to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: Samuel Hyde is the ‘Ghost of Kyiv’
Our rating: False
Samuel Hyde is not the so-called Ghost of Kyiv. The image in the post was altered to replace a U.S. pilot’s face with Hyde’s face. Hyde has been falsely linked to various mass shootings and global tragedies for years. Read more.
Claim: Russia unveiled a nuclear missile called ‘Satan 2’
Our rating: Missing context
The missile was first announced in 2016 – not recently, as posts online makes it seem – and reportedly will not be in use until late 2022. None of the three images in the post show “Satan 2.” Read more.
Claim: An image shows Natasha Perakov, the first Ukrainian female fighter pilot
Our rating: False
The first Ukrainian female fighter pilot is not shown in the post. The image shows a Ukrainian soldier who won a beauty contest in 2016. Ukraine’s first female fighter pilot is Nadiya Savchenko. Read more.
Claim: An image shows members of Dynamo Kyiv in military attire
Our rating: False
A picture showing 25 men dressed in camouflage military attire doesn’t show members of Ukrainian soccer team Dynamo Kyiv. The image shows members of Gonor, a Ukrainian nationalist group. Read more.
Claim: An image shows a captured Russian tank for sale on eBay
Our rating: False
A company spokesperson told USA TODAY the listing is fake. The sale of military items, including weapons and vehicles, is prohibited on eBay. The image of the T-72 tank in the post dates back to 2010. Read more.
Claim: Photos show Ukrainian demonstration in support of Myanmar
Our rating: Altered
Photos on social media don’t show a Ukrainian demonstration for Myanmar. The original photos were taken at Ukrainian demonstrations that were unrelated to Myanmar. They were altered to include pro-Myanmar slogans and images on protest signs. Read more.
Claim: Photos show ‘angel’-like cloud formations over Kyiv amid Russian siege
Our rating: False
Photos purporting to show “angel”-like cloud formations over Kyiv are at least five years old and predate the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: An image shows a Russian Su-34 aircraft shot down in Kyiv
Our rating: False
A 1944 image of a U.S. B-17 aircraft that crash-landed at an airfield in Papua New Guinea is being falsely described as showing a Russian Su-34 aircraft shot down in Kyiv. Read more.
Claim: Image shows St. Louis Arch lit up with the colors of the Ukrainian flag
Our rating: Altered
The Gateway Arch in St. Louis was not lit up with the colors of the Ukrainian flag, according to the National Park Service. A photo claiming to show otherwise has been digitally altered. Read more.
Claim: Ukraine revealed a new stamp titled ‘Russian warship, go (expletive) yourself’
Our rating: True
An image showing a soldier flipping off a warship with the text “Russian warship go (expletive) yourself” is an authentic Ukrainian postage stamp. The design honors the soldiers who defended Snake Island. Read more.
Claim: A photo shows a Ukrainian farmer towing a captured Russian jet
Our rating: False
A photo shows a jet being towed by tractor through the streets of Zagreb, Croatia, in 2011, not a Ukrainian farmer towing a captured Russian jet amid the invasion of Ukraine. Read more.
The claim: Photo shows Ukrainian children hiding in a metro station after Russia’s invasion
Our rating: False
A photo purporting to show Ukrainian children in a metro station after Russia’s invasion shows children taking part in a practice drill at a school bomb shelter before the invasion began on Feb. 24. Read more.
The claim: The Russian attack on a Mariupol maternity hospital was staged
Our rating: False
Images of an injured pregnant woman in the aftermath of a hospital attack show a Ukrainian beauty influencer, but there’s no evidence she is a “crisis actor.” International health agencies and news organizations confirmed the bombing of a Mariupol maternity hospital took place on March 9. Read more.
Claim: Images show Russian-bombed Syria, and Kyiv
Our rating: False
A photo purporting to show Aleppo, Syria, is actually a 2017 image of Mosul, Iraq. The second image shows Kyiv, but it was taken one day after the start of the Russian invasion, not after weeks of bombing. Read more.
Claim: A Ukrainian artist created a mosaic of Vladimir Putin’s face with bullet casings from the Ukrainian front
Our rating: Missing context
A portrait of Putin’s face is authentic, but it was created by a Ukrainian artist in 2015 in response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, not recently amid the invasion. Read more.
Claim: Photo shows child whose parents died in the war in Ukraine
Our rating: False
A photo purporting to show a child whose parents died in the war in Ukraine originated from a 2015 music video. Read more.
Claim: Photo shows Ukrainian tractor towing Russian rocket
Our rating: Altered
A photo claiming to show a Ukrainian tractor towing a Russian rocket was altered using a 2018 image of a Soyuz rocket being pulled by a train. Read more.
Claim: Photo shows a young girl preparing to fight in Ukraine
Our rating: False
A photo of a young girl holding a gun does not show her preparing for war in Ukraine. The girl’s father said it was staged and taken before the Russian invasion. Read more.
Claim: Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko auctioned his Olympic medal to help Ukrainian children
Our rating: Missing context
Klitschko auctioned his Olympic medal to help Ukrainian children at a charity event in 2012, a decade before the Russian invasion. Read more.
Claim: The Ukrainian army uses cats to identify sniper laser sights
Our rating: False
An image purporting to show a Ukrainian soldier holding a military cat has circulated online since at least 2018, and the poster who initiated this claim has said it was fabricated. Read more.
Claim: Russian Consulate in Montreal is now located on ‘Avenue Zelensky’
Our rating: False
City officials said the address of the Russian Consulate in Montreal has not changed. The street remains listed as Avenue de Musée, not “Avenue Zelensky.” Read more.
Use of fake or misleading media reports
Claim: CNN reported the death of ‘Bernie Gores’ in both Afghanistan and Ukraine
Our rating: False
A post claiming CNN reported the same man was both executed by the Taliban in 2021 and killed by Ukrainian separatists in February is false. The tweets pictured in social media posts appear to have come from unverified accounts that have been suspended. CNN denied posting the tweets. Read more.
Claim: Russia deployed nuclear weapons ‘in America’s backyard,’ CNN reported
Our rating: Missing context
A CNN news clip featuring correspondent Brian Todd and a chyron that asserts Putin is “making military moves in America’s backyard” was shared out of context. The video was recorded and originally posted online in 2018, when two Russian bombers arrived in Venezuela to carry out military exercises over the Caribbean. The video has nothing to do with the current invasion of Ukraine. Read more.
Claim: An image shows a CNN chyron that reads, ‘Ocasio-Cortez says she feared being raped during Ukraine invasion’
Our rating: Altered
An image that claims to show a CNN chyron that reads, “Ocasio-Cortez says she feared being raped during Ukraine invasion” is fake. It was superimposed on an image of Ocasio-Cortez from an interview with CNN in August 2021. Read more.
Claim: CNN tweeted a story about a former teacher dubbed the ‘Kharkiv Kid Finder’
Our rating: False
CNN did not tweet a story about a former teacher dubbed the “Kharkiv Kid Finder” in Ukraine. A spokesperson for the network said the tweet is fabricated. Read more.
Claim: A protest during a Russian news broadcast was staged because ‘there are no live on-air television broadcasts in Russia’
Our rating: False
Russian media experts say news is broadcast live in the country, and there is no evidence a producer’s antiwar protest during a Russian news broadcast was fake. Read more.
Claim: George Soros said on CNN he helped overthrow the former Ukrainian president
Our rating: False
There is no evidence that American billionaire George Soros said he helped overthrow the former Ukrainian president. CNN and the Soros’ foundation said the claim is false, and the 2014 CNN transcript of Soros’ interview includes no such statement. Read more.
Claim: CNN sent tweet with picture of Serbian building, claimed it was bombed hotel in Ukraine
Our rating: Altered
An image purporting to show a CNN tweet identifying a Serbian building as a bombed Ukrainian hotel is altered. The formatting suggests a lack of authenticity, and a CNN spokesperson said it’s fabricated. Read more.
Claim: Canadian sniper ‘Wali’ was killed by Russian forces in Ukraine
Our rating: False
A Canadian sniper nicknamed ‘Wali’ was not killed in Ukraine. He has confirmed to numerous news outlets in video interviews that he is still alive. Read more.
Claim: A Ukrainian plane tore off a road sign while flying low to avoid Russian radar
Our rating: False
An image showing a Ukrainian military plane that tore off a road sign was captured in August 2020, not amid the Russian invasion. Read more.
Claim: Tucker Carlson suggested photos of bodies in Bucha, Ukraine, could have been staged
Our rating: False
Tucker Carlson didn’t suggest photos of bodies in Bucha were staged. He denied the quote and the author of the tweet acknowledged it was fabricated. Read more.
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