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100 hoaxes, fakes and misinformation about Russia and Ukraine

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During the early hours of February 24, Russia launched a military offensive at various points in Ukraine. As a result, dozens of videos and images supposedly linked to the start of this military conflict are being shared on social media. However, many of them are either old or have not been recorded in Ukraine. Disinformation thrives during crisis, so when in doubt, avoid sharing content if you are not sure that it’s legit.

These are the hoaxes and misinformation cases that we have spotted since the attack started:

No, this video is not from the campaign of the president of Ukraine, Volodímir Zelenski: it is a scene from a series in which he was the main actor

"The election campaign of Zelenski, the president of Ukraine". With this message, a video has been shared in which Volodímir Zelenski, president of Ukraine, is seen shooting dozens of people in a room. It's a hoax: it's a scene from the series “Servant of the People 2” in which he played the role of main actor in 2017, almost two years before he was named as a president of Ukraine.

The video of Vladimir Putin where his hand supposedly passes through a microphone: better quality images show that the microphone does not disappear

A video of Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which he appears at a table with several people around is circulating. It spreads with comments indicating that the images would be recorded on a chroma key (the green background that is placed to recreate scenes added later digitally) because, supposedly, at the moment when he passes his hand behind one of the microphones on the table, it disappears. But if we look at higher quality videos at the same time, we can see that this effect does not occur and that the microphone is seen in front of the hand.

What do we know about the woman injured in Ukraine who is accused of working for the Ministry of Defense?

"The bloodied woman who appears on the front pages of all the newspapers turns out to be an employee of the Armed Forces of Ukraine", claim several viral contents that unite three different photos saying that the same person appears in them: a wounded woman with bandages on the head, another with a rifle in his hand and another group with several people in military uniforms. The Russian Embassy in Spain shared the same images stating that "a woman very similar" to the wounded one was "an employee of the Ukrainian special unit of internal organs". We tell you what we know.

Misinformation claiming that Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, has fled to Poland (as of March 7)

You are asking us on our WhatsApp service (+34 644 229 319) if it is true that Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, has left the country and defected to Poland. In Spain, this content has been published by the website 'El Común', and it talks about how "there are various sources from Russia that suggest that the President of Ukraine [...] could have fled to Poland". There are other websites in other languages ​​that claim the same. We explain what we know.

The Ukrainian woman victim of the explosions and misinformation in the Russian invasion

On February 24, the day the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, there was an explosion in the Ukrainian city of Chuhuiv or Chuguyev, in the Kharkov oblast. An apartment block was damaged and one person was killed and several others were injured, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. The image of one of those injured people went viral and has also been a victim of misinformation. We explain what we know.

No, this photo of a Russian flag being placed on a public building in Ukraine has not been taken during the current attack: it is from 2014

A photo where we can see a person on a ladder placing a Russian flag on a public building in Ukraine is circulating on social media platforms such as Twitter. It is being shared as if the image were current, coinciding with the military offensive that Russia has carried out in several places in Ukraine during the early hours on February 24.

It's a hoax. The photo was taken in Ukraine, but it is from the 1st of March 2014. The picture can be found on the website of the Reuters agency with the following description: “A pro-Russian protester installs the Russian flag at the regional government building after clashes with supporters of Ukraine's new government in central Kharkiv March 1, 2014”.

No, this photograph of people praying in Ukraine is not recent: it has been circulating since at least 2019

"Christians in Ukraine praying outdoors, in the snow, asking the Lord to save them from war" (sic). This message is being shared along with an image of people kneeling in a snowy square. The photograph has gone viral after Russia's attack on Ukraine. But it is a hoax. The image is not recent and has been shared since at least 2019.

No, this video does not show Ukrainian forces shooting down a Russian combat aircraft: it was filmed in Libya in 2011

Coinciding with the Russian attack on Ukrainian territory that began in the early hours of February 24, a video has been shared on social media in which a plane is seen crashing after being shot down. The video is spread claiming that it is a "Russian combat aircraft shot down by the Ukrainian air defense", but it is a hoax.

The video is not recent: it is about a fighter shot down in 2011 in Libya.

What do we know about the pictures published by the Russian Embassy in Spain that allegedly show how Russian soldiers provide “humanitarian aid to Ukrainian civilians”?

“Russian soldiers give 30 tons of humanitarian aid to Ukrainian civilians”. That’s the text with wich the Russian Embassy in Spain (@EmbajadaRusaES) shared a tweet on March 3 including three pictures of its army allegedly handing out “humanitarian aid” to Ukrainians after Russia invaded the country. However, the picture of the lorries is not recent: it has been on the Internet since, at least, November 2020.

There’s no evidence that the pregnant woman injured in Mariupol’s child hospital is a Ukrainian soldier

Since the 9th of March, many pictures of injured pregnant women being evacuated from Mariupol’s bombed hospital have been shared. Some of them have been used to claim that one of them is actually a Ukrainian soldier.

However, there’s no evidence of such a thing. The photo of the soldier has been repeatedly shared since, at least, 2014, and linked to a cadet from Ukraine's military institute who won a literary competition that same year.

No, this video doesn’t show Putin threatening Mexico for condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: the subtitles are false

We have spotted a viral video in which Russian President, Vladimir Putin, is allegedly threatening the Government of Mexico as it has condemned the invasion of Ukraine. It’s a hoax: the Spanish subtitles are false.

No, CNN has not tweeted that “intelligence agencies from across the world have seen American actor Steven Seagal among Russian special forces”

“Intelligence agencies from across the world have spotted American actor Steven Seagal among Russian special forces positioned in the outskirts of Gostomel airport, close to Kyiv”. That’s the translation of an alleged CNN tweet that is making the rounds on Twitter and Facebook.

But CNN has not published such a thing.

No, this video in which an alleged dead body appears to be smoking is not related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: it’s a music video

“This is how Ukrainian propaganda works. He smokes a cigarette before his cremation”. That’s the text with which a video of a lorry with an orange trailer containing what appears to be dead bodies in black bags is being shared. When the camera zooms in you can see how one of the alleged dead bodies is smoking a cigarette. It’s a hoax: the images were filmed during the shooting of a music video from Russian rapper Husky.

No, this picture of armoured military vehicles beside a building doesn’t show the children’s hospital in Mariupol (Ukraine)

A picture of armoured military vehicles beside a building is being shared with a message that claims it shows the bombed children’s hospital in Mariupol. It’s a hoax: the image is of a building that is around 10 kilometres away from such a hospital.

No, Putin has not said that the bombed hospital in Mariupol (Ukraine) had biological weapons in a call with Donald Trump

“In a call with Trump on Wednesday, Putin said that the bombed hospital in Mariupol contained a biological weapon lab with no security measures at all”. That’s the claim made by a viral message made by Telegram channel Rafapal, but it’s a hoax.

No, this video doesn’t show how a Ukrainian Bayraktar TB2 is brought down by Russian forces: the video is not recent

A video is being shared in which we allegedly see how Russian forces bring down a Ukrainian Bayraktar TB2 (Am unmanned combat plane), but it’s a hoax: the video is not recent and has been shared since, at least, 2021.

No, the symbol on Zelenski’s jersey is not the logo of the Azov Battalion, it’s that of the Ukrainian Football Federation

An image of Ukrainian President, Volodimir Zelenski, holding a football jersey is being widely shared on social media. The jersey has a symbol that, according to some posts, belongs to the Azov Battalion, which is part of the country’s National Guard and has been described as neo-Nazi by the US Congress. 

However, the logo that can be seen on the jersey is actually from Ukraine’s football federation.

No, this video is not recent nor does it show how the Russian Military Choir is arrested for signing against the war: it has been shared since, at least, 2015

A video in which several masked people arrest singers who are dressed in military uniforms has been shared on Facebook and Twitter, claiming those who were detained were actually part of the Russian Military Choir and were protesting against the war. It’s a hoax.

The disinformation without evidence that the Chinese Ministry of Defense says that they "are ready to support Russia" in case the US and NATO "want to intervene militarily"

It is being said that "Chinese National Defense Ministry spokesman Tan Kefei said that they are ready to support Russia in case of a US and NATO militar intervention". There is no evidence that Kefei made any such statements. The message circulates with the same text on Twitter accounts that are not from the outlet and is shared without a link to any news or a video of the alleged statements. In addition, there is no trace of that intervention in the media or through official channels.

No, this 'Time' magazine cover with Putin turned into Hitler isn't real

An image of an alleged cover of 'Time' magazine with a photo of Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, mixed with a photo of Adolf Hitler and with the headline "The return of history" is going viral as if it was authentic. It is not a real cover.

It is a montage made by Patrick Mulder and you can see how his name is at the bottom of the false cover. In fact, Mulder himself has published a statement this February 28 on Twitter assuring that he created the cover because the original of Time magazine "was not inspiring and lacked conviction".

What do we know about whether the Polish and Ukrainian military and police are preventing black people from crossing the border?

Since the beginning of Russia's attack on Ukraine, thousands of people have fled to neighboring countries. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Gradi, as of February 28, more than 280,000 people had fled to Poland. This March 2, the Government of Poland raised this figure to more than 450,000 people.

With these large movements of people, videos have been shared of the situation at the borders and of messages and testimonies from people who claim that non-Ukrainians are being discriminated against at the border crossing between Ukraine and Poland, content that has been shared, in many cases with the hashtag #africansinukraine.

Some journalists on the ground say that non-Ukrainians are being allowed to enter Poland. Some of them, like the journalists Pablo González or Nicolas Castellano, or the chef Jose Andrés, have shared stories of Nigerians or Cameroonians on their social networks. Others recount the difficulties they are having in crossing through the testimonies of non-Ukrainians. In addition, the Chancellery of the Polish Prime Minister has branded as "disinformation" the messages that say that it is not being allowed to cross the border by nationality or ethnicity. We tell you what we know.

No, this 'CNN' tweet reporting that an American activist has been killed in Russia's attacks on Ukraine is not real

"We are sad to announce that there has been the first American casualty of the Ukraine crisis. Thoughts and prayers with the family of activist Bernie Gores, who died this morning after a mine planted by Russian-backed separatists exploded”. With this text is circulating a tweet from the supposedly US network CNN in Ukraine on February 23. But it is a hoax, it is a fake tweet and the photo is not of an activist but of a youtuber.

No, these are not actors simulating the war that Russia has started against Ukraine: it is a video of a historical military festival held in Russia

“Look at the doll in the back, it's a mannequin! This was broadcast on TV” (sic) or “These are CRISIS ACTORS, who are hired to stage situations in false war conflicts or false flag attacks”. With these messages, a video is being shared on social media platforms such as Twitter, Telegram or TikTok in which several people can be seen as if they were fleeing, a tank in the distance and even at one point a supposed doll can be seen (as if were a person) flying in the air.

With this video, many of the users who share it claim that the war initiated by Russia against Ukraine has been staged and is being carried out by actors, thereby denying that there is an invasion in Ukraine.

But it is a hoax that these images are of a montage of actors hired to stage situations "in false wars or false flag attacks," as the contents say. It is a military-historical festival that takes place every year in Russia dedicated to the soldiers of the Second Shock Army. Specifically, we can see that the images in this video are from the 2021 edition.

What do we know about the video in which a tank runs over a car in Ukraine?

It is one of the videos that has been shared the most in recent days: a "tank" advances at full speed when, in the Obolon district (Kyiv/Kiev), it suddenly runs over a car that went in the opposite direction. They are images that have been broadcast by the media around the world, which claim that it was a Russian tank. Other versions indicate that it was actually a Ukrainian tank that lost control before the collision. This article contains images of sensitive content.

No, this photo in which the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, holds a shirt with the Nazi swastika is not real: it is a montage

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a photo is circulating on social media networks in which we see the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, allegedly holding a shirt with the Nazi symbol. But it is a hoax: the photo is a montage.

No, this video of a girl confronting a soldier is not current or related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine: it happened in 2012 and it shows a Palestinian girl

After the recent Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory, a video of a girl is seen confronting a soldier has gone viral. The recording is shared with the following message: "A Ukrainian girl yells at a Russian soldier to return to his country."

It's a hoax. The video was recorded in 2012 and it shows a confrontation between a Palestinian girl and an Israeli soldier.

What do we know about the "ghost of Kiev", the alleged Ukrainian pilot who allegedly shot down several Russian planes?

Images and videos are being spread in which we supposedly see the alleged Ukrainian pilot who would have shot down six Russian planes on the first day of Russia's attack on Ukraine, which they have called the "ghost of Kiev", but of which there is no evidence of its existence.

No, neither 'La Vanguardia' nor Pedro Sánchez have said that the Government of Spain will train young people between the ages of 18 and 25 in the event of war

"The Spanish government will shortly call young Spaniards between the ages of 18 and 25 to train them in case of war. Statements by President Pedro Sánchez together with the defense minister" (sic). This is the message of a tweet that is shared on social media networks like TikTok as if they were real statements by the President of the Government published by the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, but it is a hoax.

There is no trace of the La Vanguardia tweet or these statements by Sánchez in any other media or public intervention.

No, this video of an alleged "Russian attack on the Ukrainian defense" is not current: it dates back to at least 2018

A video of an alleged "Russian attack on Ukrainian defense (sic.)" has gone viral on networks such as Twitter or TikTok, as if it were part of the current invasion initiated by Russia on February 24. It is a hoax: the video has been circulating since at least 2018.

No, this video of Putin threatening Spain is not real: the subtitles are false and its author has described it as humourous

"Let's see this goes for all of Spain, including Pedro Sánchez, do you really think you can defend Ukraine? Being one of the countries that has managed to collect the most fools" [sic]. This is the supposed translation of a video of Putin that is circulating on TikTok and WhatsApp, going viral as real with messages like "Putin threatens Spain." It's a hoax: the subtitles are fake and it's an excerpt from a longer TikTok video that was labeled "humor" by its author.

No, this video is not a "montage" made in Ukraine during the invasion of Russia: it was recorded in Birmingham (UK) and has been circulating since at least 2013

A video is circulating on social media networks that supposedly shows how the Ukrainians record a "montage" of people running because of an "alleged bombing" by Russia. It is spread with messages such as "Putin should be thanked for ending the virus. Now we only talk about war and terror, making montages for garbage TV." It's a hoax: the images were recorded at least in 2013 in Birmingham (UK) during the filming of the movie Kaleidoscope Man (also known as Invasion Planet Earth).

No, this tweet about Putin is not from the president of the Principality of Asturias, Adrián Barbón: it is a fake tweet

Coinciding with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a screenshot of a tweet supposedly from the president of the Principality of Asturias, Adrián Barbón, is circulating, in which he says that "it does not seem appropriate to have communist people like Putin as a reference”. But it is a hoax that it is a tweet from Barbón. It is not published on his profile nor is there a trace of archived versions on the web and the screenshot that circulates is always the same. Also, while his account is verified (it has the blue tick that Twitter offers to those accounts), in the screenshot it appears unverified, without that blue tick. From the press department of the Presidency of the Principality they affirm to Maldita.es that "the tweet is clearly false".

No, this tweet by Santiago Abascal quoting Vladimir Putin is not "fake": it is real, but he has deleted it

The president of Spanish political party Vox, Santiago Abascal, published a tweet in November 2015 quoting this phrase attributed to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin: "We will go looking for you until the end of the world and, there, we will kill you". In the publication, Abascal linked to an article in La Gaceta in which those same statements were collected. According to this website, Putin was addressing those responsible for the explosion of a Russian passenger plane that occurred that same year when it was flying over Egypt.

Coinciding with the current Russian invasion of Ukraine, screenshots of that publication by the leader of Vox are being spread, despite the fact that there are users who assure that it is "a false tweet that pretends to be Abascal." It's a hoax: it's a real tweet, although it has been deleted. You can view an archived version here.

What do we know about Puigdemont's vote in mid-February on the European Commission's proposal to give financial support to Ukraine?

On February 16, the European Parliament approved a "macro-financial assistance" program to provide Ukraine with a total of 1.2 billion euros distributed in the form of loans. This is a proposal introduced by the European Commission on February 1 after talks with this country, three weeks before the Russian attack on Ukraine began. The approval on February 16 was a week before the bombing began.

Various messages are circulating commenting on the position that Carles Puigdemont, former president of the Generalitat of Catalonia and MEP, had on this matter. Some state that he voted against, others that he abstained, and still others that he voted in favour. In reality, Puigdemont voted in favor of processing the initiative through the urgent procedure and abstained from voting on its content. Of course, the MEP notified Parliament's services on Thursday, March 3, that he wanted to vote in favor on both occasions, but abstained in the second vote "due to a technical error"*. We tell you what we know about the votes related to this initiative and Puigdemont's vote in each case

Snake Island and the alleged sacrifice of the Ukrainian military: a misinformation story

The story of 13 Ukrainian soldiers who guarded the Snake Island and who appeared "heroically" and "without surrendering", according to the Ukrainian president, has gone viral. Several media outlets spread after a recording of what were his last moments before the Russians bombed the island. Now, according to local media citing the Ukrainian army, they would be alive but Russia would have prisoners. We tell you the story of misinformation on Snake Island.

No, this video of a Ukrainian tank fleeing and being attacked by the population is not recent: it is from 2014

After Russia's recent attack on Ukrainian territory, a video is circulating on social media platforms in which people from the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv/Kharkov are allegedly seen throwing stones at a Ukrainian tank and how it flees.

The video is real, but it is a hoax that it is current. The video is from 2014 and was recorded in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. That year there were clashes in this city between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian groups.

No, this money has not been found in a bunker of Ukrainian nationalists

A video is circulating on social media networks in which boxes appear with the logo of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and apparently are full of wads of bills. It is said about this video that the "Chechen guard" has found them in a bunker of "Ukrainian nationalists" in the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

It's a hoax. The video is not current and has been circulating on the internet since at least 2018. The Red Cross issued a statement that year about these images in which it denied any relationship with money and denounced an "illegitimate use" of the organization's emblem. The UN Security Council also released a report in 2017 showing similar boxes linked to the missing fortune of Gaddafi, Libya's former dictator.

Misinformation without evidence about this photo of civilians trying to flee from Irpin (Ukraine)

Content is circulating on social media networks in which it is said that members of the Azov Battalion (of the National Guard of Ukraine and described as neo-Nazi by the United States Congress), are holding Ukrainian civilians and preventing them from being evacuated in this photo where a bunch of people appear under a bombed-out bridge and some soldiers in military clothes at the front of the crowd.

There is no evidence that the photo shows civilians being held. They are civilians who are fleeing the town of Irpin and who are being "helped" by the Ukrainian military, according to the Associated Press (AP) agency, and the photo shown in the tweets was taken by a Spanish photojournalist on March 5. The destroyed bridge under which people are crowding is located about 25 kilometers from Kyiv/Kiev, the country's capital. That March 5 the city was bombed and that was the main escape route. There is no evidence that these soldiers are from the Azov Battalion or that they were holding the population at that point.

No, this video of a car with a white flag and the "Santísimo" is not current: it has been circulating since at least 2015 and it is a funeral

“The Blessed Sacrament walks the streets and highways of Ukraine. The white flag of the car indicating that the Lord is going on a mission of Peace”. With texts like this, a video is circulating on social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

In the video you can see a gray car with a white flag and a red van in front driving on a highway. To the sides, hundreds of people leaning on the ground with only one knee, with both or standing.

But it is a hoax that the video is current. Doing a reverse search of the images, we found that the video has been circulating since at least 2015. The different publications indicate that it is about a Ukrainian soldier who was killed in a confrontation with Russian troops. In a longer version of the video, you can also see a crowd of people accompanying a coffin covered with the Ukrainian flag.

No, this video does not show "the moment when a Russian missile hits the largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine": it is a flare

The Twitter account of the program 'Al Rojo Vivo' of the television channel LaSexta tweeted a video on March 4 in which  is seen "the moment in which a Russian missile hits the largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine".

Despite the fact that local authorities reported a fire after the bombing at the Zaporizhia plant, the images that have been shared do not show the fall of a missile.

It's a hoax. The bright object seen in the video has the characteristics of a flare or an illuminating projectile, as defense experts have indicated to Maldita.es, but not of a missile. In addition, international media, such as Reuters or The Guardian, have reported that what we see in the video is a flare. Likewise, Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stated that it was Russian "projectiles" that caused the fire.

What do we know about the video of the explosion next to an administrative building in the Ukrainian city of Kharkov?

A video from a security camera shows the exterior of a building and car traffic. And we see an explosion. The timestamp says that it was recorded on March 1, 2022 at 8:01 (Ukrainian time). Some contents say that the projectile seen in the video has hit the building, others that it has destroyed it. We explain how we know that the explosion is in Kharkov, the second most populous city in Ukraine. Two hours after the explosion, volunteers for the Azov Battalion, described as neo-Nazi by the United States Congress, were scheduled to be recruited in the bombed-out government building. Ukraine has blamed Russia for the attack and speaks of dozens of victims. As of March 1, Kharkiv is controlled by the Ukrainian government. It is located less than 40 kilometers from Russia and is considered the capital of Russophone Ukraine.

No, this video is not of a paratrooper "invading Ukraine" during the current Russian attack: it has been circulating since at least 2015

More than two million 'likes' has a video published this February 24 on TikTok that is being shared as if it was a Russian paratrooper "invading Ukraine" during the current Russian attack. It spreads with comments like "watching World War III on TikTok", but it's a hoax: the recording has been around since at least 2015.

No, these photos of bombings are not related to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine: they are photos taken in Gaza (Palestine) in 2018 and 2021

Two images of alleged bombings that would have occurred during the conflict between Russia and Ukraine that began on February 24 are being disseminated. It's a hoax. Both photographs are old, they were taken in 2018 and 2021, respectively. They correspond to bombings in Gaza (Palestine) due to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

No, this photo of an injured girl is not from the conflict in Ukraine: it is from Palestine in 2021

“Ukraine is trending because of the images that the war against Russia is leaving. People and children injured by the detonations and people sleeping in the subway," states a tweet along with two images, one of them of an injured girl rescued by a person, who is carrying her in his arms. But it is a hoax: the photo was taken in Gaza (Palestine) in 2021.

No, the images of a Russian tank with the flag of the Soviet Union are not "a montage": they are real

One of the images that has spread the most since Russia began the invasion of Ukraine on February 24 is that of a Russian tank on which a Soviet Union flag flies. It is being said that this image is false, but it is not: the photo is real and, in fact, there are other photos and videos of that same tank.

No, this video of riot police refusing to "go against their people" in Ukraine is not current: it is from 2014

"Police in Odessa [Ukraine] refuse to go against their people," states a viral tweet that shares a video of riot police breaking formation and abandoning their shields. It is being shared as if it had been flimed in 2022 during the conflict in Ukraine. But it's a hoax: the video is from 2014.

No, this woman was not the victim of a gas explosion that occurred in a building in 2018: she was injured at the beginning of the Russian attack on Ukraine in 2022

“VICTIM OF RUSSIAN BOMBING IN 2022 WITH THE SAME CLOTHES AND BANDAGE AS IN 2018 😂😂😂 This woman was the victim of a gas explosion that occurred in a building in Ukraine in 2018, not a bomb dropped today by the Russians”, states a content on Telegram. But it is a hoax: the woman was injured on February 24, 2022 in Ukraine.

No, this father is not saying goodbye to his daughter to "fight against Russia": it was recorded in Donetsk, they were being evacuated to Russia and the video is prior to the Russian aggression against Ukraine

Following the Russian aggression against Ukraine that began on February 24, the video in which a father says goodbye crying to his daughter, who is evacuated on a bus, has gone viral and has been published in numerous media outlets, as if he were going to fight “against Russia”. But it is a hoax: the video is recorded in a city of the self-proclaimed People's Republic of Donetsk recognized by Russia and the Government of that area evacuated the civilian population to Russia.

What do we know about the alleged increase in radiation in the area of ​​the Chernobyl nuclear plant?

This February 24, Russian forces have taken control of the old Chernobyl nuclear power plant, located in Ukraine. As a result of this event, warnings have begun to circulate that the radiation levels in the area have altered.

The State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation of Ukraine has reported, on February 25, that gamma radiation levels have increased in the area. The Ministry of the Interior has indicated that, for the moment, this increase "is not critical" for Kiev, the Ukrainian capital. Meanwhile, the Russian state agency RT has indicated that "background radiation is normal, according to the military."

We tell you what we know about it.

Disinformation without evidence that claims President Zelensky has fled Ukraine (as of March 1, 2022)

Numerous contents and rumors without evidence affirm that the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, would have fled the country after the aggression of Russia, whose troops are already in the Ukrainian capital. These claims have been going on since February 24. But as of March 1, there is no evidence Zelensky fled Ukraine.

No, this video of an encounter between Russian and Ukrainian soldiers is not current: it was recorded in 2014

More than 4,000 times a video has been shared on TikTok that has almost 90,000 "likes" and shows a meeting between "Russian and Ukrainian soldiers". The recording is shared on other social media platforms such as Twitter after the invasion initiated by Russia towards Ukrainian territory as if it were recent and accompanied by messages such as "peace", but it is a hoax that is related to the recent military offensive launched by Russia.

The video dates back to 2014, when Ukrainian soldiers approached the air base in the city of Belbek, in Crimea, when it was guarded by Russian soldiers.

The hoax that claims 'CNN' has said that the same journalist has been killed in Afghanistan and now in Russia's attack on Ukraine

"The same person who was 'executed' by the Taliban in Afghanistan is also the first American victim in the 'Ukraine crisis.' See how it works? CNN is the enemy of the people. Why lie?" This claim is included in a Facebook post along with two alleged tweets from the US network CNN announcing that Bernie Gores, an alleged "activist" or "journalist", has died in different conflicts. But it is a hoax.

CNN has not reported the death of Bernie Gores on different occasions: the tweets that circulate are false. The accounts that have published those tweets (@CNNUKR and @CNNAfghan) do not belong to the US network, are not verified and are suspended.

No, this message asking for families interested in hosting children from Ukraine is not from the Association of Children of Ukraine-Castellón (Aniukcas)

"If you know of families interested in welcoming children from Ukraine, when the situation allows humanitarian aid to enter, you can contact the Association of Ukrainian Children of Castellón (Aniukcas). Here’s the e-mail address: [email protected]". That is the text that has been widely shared around WhatsApp in recent days and about which you have asked us dozens of times through our chatbot (+34 644 22 93 19).

It is a hoax: the association assures that there some messages are being shared under their name and that such messages are false. Currently, they say, the association can only "plan the evacuation of children who already have their foster family for the summer program." They also state that "right now there is no official information on the reception in Spain".

No, this video of a crowd waving Ukrainian flags during the country's anthem was not recorded in 2014: it is from February 23, 2022

A video of a crowd is circulating in which we can see how Ukrainian flags wave while the country's anthem plays. The video has been published by the Spanish newspaper El Mundo stating that they are Ukrainians who have gathered "to sing the national anthem in Donetsk", but some users on social media networks say that it is a video from 2014 that they have passed off as recent. It is a hoax that it is a video from 2014. It was recorded in the city of Kramatorsk on February 23, 2022.

No, this photo of a woman dressed in a military uniform is not the wife of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky and it is not recent: it is from August 2021

"People say that the wife of the president of Ukraine is going to go to war." With messages like this, a photo of a woman dressed in a military uniform is circulating on social media platforms. According to those who share the photograph on networks such as Twitter, the woman who appears in it is the wife of the president of Ukraine, Volodímir Zelenski.

It's a hoax. The woman in the photograph is not Olena Zelenska, Zelensky's wife, nor the image is recent. It was taken in August 2021 during the rehearsal of the Ukrainian Independence Day military parade.

No, this video that supposedly shows "Ukrainian soldiers killed in combat outside Kiev" is not current: it has been circulating since at least 2015

"Ukrainian soldiers killed in combat outside Kiev, so far the Ukrainian government has confirmed more than 170 soldiers killed in combat." With this text, a video is circulating on Twitter that already has more than 2,000 "likes".

Supposedly, the people who appear in the video would be "Ukrainian soldiers" who would have "died in combat" on February 24 after Russia launched a military offensive in various parts of Ukraine.

But it is a hoax. If we do a search of the video, we find that it has been circulating since at least 2015 and that it is shared as if it had been recorded in September 2014. According to the texts, it was recorded in the Lugansk People's Republic ( Ukraine), although this could not be independently verified by Maldita.es.

No, this video is not a Russian fighter jet shot down by a Ukrainian plane: it is from a simulator

A Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 fighter shoots down a Russian Ork Su-35 VKS fighter jet, several viral contents claim, in which also appears a video of the explosion in the air of a military plane allegedly caused by another fighter. But it is a hoax: Eagle Dynamics, the company that created the air combat simulator “Digital Combat Simulator”, has told Maldita.es that it is a simulation using its software. The official Facebook account of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Defense Forces and the Twitter account of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry have shared this hoax.

No, this video in which a "corpse" is seen moving is not related to Ukraine: it was a protest in Austria against climate policies

"Filmed in Poland during the covid. Filmed to present it as if it’s Ukraine now," says the text included in a video in which a reporter is seen speaking to the camera while behind there are several body bags and a living person moves in one of them. But it is a hoax: the video is from an Austrian news program covering a protest in Vienna against climate policies on February 4, 2022.

No, this video of "Ukrainian civilians" throwing Molotov cocktails at armored troop carriers is not recent: it was recorded in 2014

"Early today in Kiev, Ukrainian civilians defended their barricades with Molotov cocktails against advancing Russian tanks." That’s the text with which a video of people throwing Molotov cocktails at tanks is being shared. It has spread as if it’s related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But it is a hoax. It's from protests in Kyiv/Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, in 2014.

No, this video of an explosion is not related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine nor is it current: it is Beirut, Lebanon in 2020

Coinciding with the Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory, a video of an explosion is being shared on social media platforms such as Facebook. The recording is shared as if it were current and is linked to the crisis situation that Ukraine is experiencing, but it is a hoax.

The scene shown in the video occurred in 2020, when an explosion occurred in the port of Beirut (Lebanon).

No, the man dressed as a samurai in this photo is not the Japanese ambassador in Kiev, Ukraine

"The Japanese ambassador to Ukraine stayed in Kiev." This message is being shared on Facebook posts along with a photo of a man dressed as a samurai with the coat of arms of Ukraine behind him. Supposedly, he is the Japanese ambassador who asked for "his great-grandfather's samurai sword and traditional armor" to be sent from Tokyo to protect Ukraine after Russia's invasion began on February 24. But it's a hoax, the one in the photo is actually the Ukrainian ambassador to Japan.

No, this video of "Ukrainian soldiers saying goodbye to their wives to go defend Ukraine" is not recent: it is a scene from a 2017 documentary about the Donbas war

"Ukrainian soldiers saying goodbye to their wives to go defend Ukraine." With this text, a video is circulating on TikTok in which two men dressed in military uniform say goodbye to two women, stating that they are two Ukrainian soldiers who are saying their farewells to their partners to go defend their country in the war that Russia initiated on February 24.

But it is a hoax that this video is recent. This is a scene from the 2017 Ukrainian documentary “The War of Chimeras” about a volunteer who goes to war in Donbas.

No, this video of an explosion is not from a Russian attack on Ukraine: it was recorded in Beirut, Lebanon, in 2020

The video of an explosion is broadcast with messages that suggest that it is an attack by Russia on Ukraine or that it has been recorded in Kiev, the capital of the Ukrainian country. It's a hoax. The video corresponds to the explosion that occurred in the port of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, in 2020.

No, these photos of a "bloody baby" and "an executed citizen" are not current: they are old and the one of the girl was taken in Syria

"A bloodied baby, a citizen executed by a Russian Soldier Murderer. Let's not forget these scenes when we execute Putin." It is the text with two images, one of a girl with blood on her face and another of a man with the Ukrainian flag while being gunned down by another person who wears the Russian flag on his uniform, are circulating. They move coinciding with Russia's attack on Ukraine that began on February 24, but it is a hoax that they are current: the one about the Ukrainian soldier has been circulating since at least 2018, while the one about the girl was taken in Syria and is also spread from al minus 2018.

No, this video of soldiers shooting in a trench with the swastika nazi flag is not current: it has been circulating since at least 2017

“This is happening in Donetsk. Ukrainian soldiers defending a trench with the nazi flag waving. Remember friends, with fascism there is no dialogue". With this message, a video in which a military man is seen entrenched and shooting while waving a flag with the nazi symbol is being posted in social media.

The recording has begun to spread this March 1, after the Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory, but it is a hoax that it is recent. The video has been circulating since at least 2017.

No, this message calling for shelter for "Ukrainian children" is not from the Government of Aragon

You are asking us through our WhatsApp chatbot (+34 644 22 93 19) about a message that is circulating stating that "from the Government of Aragon the telephone number 976 (...) has been enabled for all those families that offer themselves to embrace Ukrainian boys/girls” (sic).

Although the telephone number exists and coincides with that of the Department for Child Protection and Guardianship of the Government of Aragon, from the government itself they affirm that it is a hoax that they have made that call so that families can shelter refugee children from Ukraine, as they have explained on their Twitter profile on March 3.

No, these photos of the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in a military uniform are not current: they have been circulating since at least 2021

Two photos of the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenski, are circulating, dressed in a military uniform, vest and helmet, as if they were current with messages that affirm that he is "in his uniform and first in the line of combat defending his nation." It is a hoax that the images are from now, after the start of the conflict in Russia and Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The photos have been circulating since at least 2021.

No, this photo of two children greeting some Ukrainian soldiers is not current: it has been circulating for years

The photo of two children who are greeting soldiers from a road in military vehicles with the Ukrainian flag is being spread. It is shared now, after the start of the conflict in Russia and Ukraine, as if it were current, but it is a hoax. The photo has been circulating for years.

No, this video does not show Russian paratroopers landing in Ukraine during the current conflict: it has been circulating since at least 2016 and it is linked to the Russian city of Rostov

A video is being shared on social media in which that shows a sky full of paratroopers and dozens of soldiers on the ground. According to those who share this video, the scene belongs to the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine. It’s also said that they are "Russian military paratroopers landing in Ukraine", specifically, in the city of Kharkov.

It's a hoax. The video has been circulating since at least 2016 and is linked to a landing in the Russian city of Rostov.

No, this video of an explosion is not from the bombing of Ukraine: it has been circulating since 2015 related to an explosion in China

"Shortly before 4 am the missile bombardment of Ukraine began". Some images of an explosion with this message have been played in the Antena 3 news program on February 24 [minute 4:20]. But it is a hoax: it is a recording that has been circulating since August 2015, linked to an explosion in Tianjin, China.

No, this picture of a fire near Chernobyl is not current or related to the conflict of Russia and Ukraine: it is from a fire that occurred in April 2020

"ALERT!!! CROSSFIRE generates fires near Chernobyl, the sarcophagus of the nuclear power plant is in danger" (sic). With this text, a photo is shared in which we see a part of the restricted area in Chernobyl (Ukraine) after the nuclear power plant accident in 1986 and a fire in the background. It is spread as if it were current, after the start of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and as if the fire had been generated by a "crossfire" between the two countries, but it is a hoax. The photo is from April 2020.

Disinformation claiming that "North Korea just sent troops to Ukraine in support of Russia"

"North Korea has just sent troops to Ukraine in support of Russia," says a screenshot of a tweet in Portuguese that has been gone viral in recent hours. According to this tweet, posted alongside a photo of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the latter has just sent troops to Ukraine to support Russia after that country's bombing of Ukraine.

But there is no evidence that North Korea has just sent troops to Ukraine in support of Russia, as of February 24 at 1:00 p.m. If we do a search we can see that neither the media nor the correspondents and journalists in Ukraine who are reporting on the conflict have echoed it. On the other hand, the account that has spread the tweet has already been deleted on Twitter.

No, this photo is not from the current Russian bombardment of Ukraine: it has been circulating since at least 2021 related to Gaza (Palestine)

After Russia's bombing of Ukraine during the early hours of February 24 in several parts of the country, an image that supposedly shows one of those bombings has gone viral. It is a hoax: the image has been circulating since 2021 related to an attack in Gaza (Palestine).

No, this video does not show real images of a bombing of Ukraine by Russia: it is a video game

Coinciding with the military offensive by Russia to Ukraine that began in the early hours of February 24, a video of an alleged bombing in Ukrainian territory has gone viral on social media networks. The recording is shared with messages such as "it is not a movie or a video game, they are real images of the bombing of Ukraine by Russia" (sic).

It is a hoax. The images correspond to the video game War Thunder and can be seen in a video uploaded to YouTube in December 2021.

No, the video of Putin announcing a bombing against Ukraine was not recorded on Monday, February 21, it is from this Thursday 24

In the early hours of February 24, the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, announced a bombardment against Ukraine in several areas of the country.

After the message, rumors have begun to circulate on Twitter indicating that the video would have been recorded on the afternoon of Monday 21 because the Russian president's suit coincided with that of the announcement he made that day where he recognized the separatist regions of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent. But it is a hoax and the video was not recorded three days before. It has been recorded this Thursday 24.

No, this video of an explosion is not from a Russian attack on Ukraine on February 24: it has been circulating, at least, since the end of January 2022

"The sky lights up as the Russian attack continues" or "explosions registered in Mariupol". With messages like these, a video is circulating saying it corresponds to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine that began in the early hours of February 24. However, it is a hoax. The video has been circulating since the 29th of January 2022.

No, this video is not recent nor was it filmed in Ukraine: it is from a rehearsal of a military parade recorded in Russia in May 2020

“LAST MINUTE | This is how Ukraine wakes up after the start of the attack by Russian troops. The Russian military air force flies over Ukraine”. With this text, a video circulates on Twitter assuring that it has been recorded after the start of Russia's bombing of Ukraine at dawn on February 24 in various parts of the country.

But it is a hoax. The video can be found on YouTube with the title: “Parade rehearsal 04/05/2020. Air part. Plane flight over Tushino” (a city in the North of Moscow). As the BBC explained, that day there was a rehearsal in Moscow on the occasion of the Victory parade that is held every May 9, although due to the coronavirus pandemic that year's military parade was postponed to the month of June.

No, this video is not of the destruction of Russian military equipment by the Ukrainian Army: it was recorded in Syria in 2020

"Video of destruction of Russian military equipment by [the drone] Bayraktar TB2", claims a viral tweet in Ukrainian that shares a video recorded from the air in which the bombing of a military convoy is seen as if it had been done by the Ukrainian Army . But it is a hoax: the video was recorded in Syria in the year 2020. They have inverted the video and now it is being shared  as if it had happened in Ukraine in February 2022.

No, this video of a missile launch has not been recorded in Ukraine: it was recorded in May 2021 and it is from the conflict between Palestine and Israel

"URGENT - UKRAINE-RUSSIA WAR: Vladimir Putin is killing children, the elderly and pregnant women." Whit this text a video of a missile launch is being shared on social media networks, as if it were related to the current situation that Ukraine is experiencing after Russia bombed some of its cities on the night of February 23, 2022. But it is a hoax. The video is from May 2021, when Hamas launched missiles at several Israeli cities.

No, this photograph of a young woman carrying a gun on a bus is not current or related to the military crisis between Russia and Ukraine

Coinciding with the recent offensive launched by Russia in Ukraine, an image of a young woman, supposedly Ukrainian, on a bus carrying a weapon is spreading on social media platforms.The photograph is shared with messages such as "Ukrainian women are ready to accompany their compatriots to defend their homeland against the Russian invasion" (sic).

It is a hoax that the image is current and is related to the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. It is also not true that the photograph was taken in Ukraine. The young woman in the image is a Russian model named Ekaterina Gladkij who shared the photo on the Russian social network VK in March 2020.

No, this video is not from "Russia at war with Ukraine": it is a simulation of a video game

After the bombing of some areas of Ukraine on February 24, a video is circulating and supposedly shows "Russia at war with Ukraine." The recording shows how a plane bombs some buildings, but it is a hoax: it is a simulation of the video game Arma 3 and is not a real video of what happened in the last few hours in Ukraine.

No, this video of an alleged "Russian attack on the Ukrainian defense" is not current: it dates back to at least 2018

A video of an alleged "Russian attack on Ukrainian defense (sic.)" has gone viral on networks such as Twitter or TikTok, as if it were part of the current invasion initiated by Russia on February 24. It is a hoax: the video has been circulating since at least 2018.

No, this photo of a plane on fire in the air is not current or related to the situation in Ukraine: it has been circulating for years related to an accident in 1993

The photo of a plane on fire in the air, supposedly shot down by a missile, is being shared as if it were current, after the Russian bombing in several places in Ukraine in the early hours of February 24, 2022. It is a hoax. The photo has been circulating for years linked to an accident between two Russian planes in 1993.

No, this video is not of a Russian attack on Ukraine: it is of explosions in an industrial zone in Tianjin (China) in 2015

"URGENT hell on earth, Russia-Ukraine conflict". With this message a video is being shared on social media networks such as Twitter stating that it is a video recorded during the Russian bombing of Ukraine in the early hours of this February 24 in various parts of the country.

But it is a hoax. The images were recorded in 2015 during explosions that took place in Tianjin, a port city in northeastern China and that left more than 50 dead, according to media such as the BBC or The Guardian.

No, Biden does not claim in this video that the US would attack Russia for invading Ukraine: the subtitles are false

A video with Spanish subtitles of a press conference from the president of the United States, Joe Biden, in which he allegedly confirmed that Putin had decided to invade Ukraine, is going viral. The video has been circulating since at least February 21, the date on which you first sent it to our WhatsApp chatbot (+34 644 229 319). But the video is spreading from before the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began in the early hours of February 24.

Biden allegedly said that the US would attack Russia before Russia could "harm" Americans in Ukraine. But it is a hoax, the subtitles in Spanish are false.

No, this video is not of "Russian warplanes" shooting civilians in Ukraine: it was recorded in Turkey in 2016

"Let the whole world know that Russian warplanes are shooting at innocent civilians in Ukraine." With this message, a video in which we see people running down the street while being shot from the air is circulating. It is shared as if it were related to the current situation in Ukraine after Russia bombed several points in this country in the early hours of February 24, 2022. It is a hoax. The video was recorded in Turkey in 2016.

No, this video warning that the war between Russia and NATO is imminent and there is a danger of a nuclear attack is not from the 'BBC': it is a fictional recording that has been circulating since at least 2018

A video in which supposedly the British public television and radio service, BBC, warns of an imminent war between Russia and NATO and the danger of a nuclear air attack has gone viral.

It's a hoax. The video does not belong to the BBC. It is a fictional representation by an Irish company, as the network itself indicated in 2018: “We'd like to make absolutely clear that it's a fake and does not come from the BBC”, stated on Twitter.

No, this video does not show a Russian military invasion of a town in Ukraine: it was recorded in 2019 in Aleppo (Syria)

More than 27,000 users  have viewed a TikTok video in which soldiers are seen in a military operation. As you can read in the caption of the video, the images supposedly correspond to a Russian invasion of a town in Ukraine.

It's a hoax. The recording was shared by Russia Today (RT) in 2019 and, as they claimed at that time, it was a "training" by Russian instructors to Syrian army forces in the city of Aleppo.

No, this photo of two men with fake guns has not been taken during the Russian invasion of Ukraine

"It's good that the media is conveniently there to cover this, and tell the world that they're shooting flattened, rectangular bullets from fake guns. With fake news, nothing is real, it's all staged." This is one of the messages in a screenshot of a video of the American TV channel Fox News that has been spread. We can see two men carrying two apparently false weapons as if they were Ukrainian civilians during the Russian invasion. This is being used to claim that the Ukraine conflict is false. It's a hoax: the photo was taken before the Russian invasion of Ukraine and is a training of civilians.

No, this video is not of a gas explosion in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk in 2018: it was recorded in Ukraine on February 24, 2022

Journalist Justin Yau tweeted a video on Thursday 24th showing a damaged apartment block with the following text: “An apartment building is devastated by bombing, at the South of Chuguyev [Ukraine]. Incalculable number of victims”. In response, several people have tried to discredit that it is a Russian bombing in Ukraine, stating that it is actually a gas explosion in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk in 2018. But this is a hoax. In fact the video was recorded in Ukraine the day Russia began bombing the country.

No, Putin does not threaten Mexico in this video for condemning the attack on Ukraine: the subtitles are false

A video in which Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, allegedly threatens the Government of Mexico for condemning the invasion of Ukraine has gone viral. However, it is a hoax: the Spanish subtitles of the video are false.

What do we know about the map that supposedly shows "NATO bases" in the world? From the organization they assure that it does not represent their bases

A map in which we see points with the logo of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) indicated at different points in the countries of the northern half of the Earth is circulating on social media networks. It spreads with comments claiming that they are "NATO bases" that are supposed to be surrounding Russia.

From NATO they assure Maldita.es that this map does not represent their bases around the world. The points that appear on it do not correspond to those that indicate the presence of the organization in different countries on the maps at the NATO´s website. However at Maldita.es we have not been able to independently verify if there are more bases in other places.

No, this image of César Carballo as an "expert in geostrategy" is not real: it is a meme

Coinciding with the escalation of military tension between Russia and Ukraine in late January, an image— in which the doctor César Carballo appears supposedly making some statements about the aforementioned conflict— began spreading. "Putin is taking a lot of risks if he wants to invade Ukraine", said carballo allegedly.

It's a hoax. The image is a meme that is shared as real and in the original statement, this assistant doctor from the Emergency Service of the Ramón y Cajal Hospital in Madrid was stating that he had confined himself due to his daughter's positive for COVID-19. In fact, it is not the first time that César Carballo memes have been shared in which this doctor is presented as an expert in all kinds of issues unrelated to COVID-19.

No, 'CNN' has not published a tweet stating that "intelligence agencies around the world have seen the American actor Steven Seagal among the Russian special forces"

"Intelligence agencies around the world have seen American actor Steven Seagal among Russian special forces positioned outside the Gostomel airfield near Kiev (...)". This is the translation of a screenshot of an alleged tweet in English from CNN that is going viral on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

But it is a hoax that CNN published that tweet. There is no trace of it on his Twitter profile and it is not archived either. In addition, the same captures are always moved, either with the same “likes” and times shared, or without showing that data.

What do we know about the rocket launcher in this video in the hands of the Azov Battalion? They are not those sent by the Spanish Government to Ukraine

"Ukrainian soldiers proudly carry the KRPG [anti-tank rocket launchers] sent by the Spanish government [...] Images have also emerged where several instructors show the Azov Battalion how to handle this type of weapon," says a Telecinco news video broadcast on 8 March. March [7:02-7:31] and that has gone viral as if the images showed rocket launchers sent by the Government of Spain in the hands of the Azov Battalion, part of the state National Guard of Ukraine and described as neo-Nazi by Congress from the United States. In fact, the rocket launchers shown in the images that Azov has received are Swedish-made in collaboration with the United Kingdom. They are neither of Spanish manufacture nor have they been sent by the Government of Spain.

What do we know about the Russian list that includes Taiwan among the "states and territories" that have taken "hostile" measures against Russia

As a result of the publication of a list published by the Russian Government of "States and territories" that have taken measures described as "hostile" and among which it included Taiwan, content and comments are circulating on social media networks. These interpret an implicit recognition of sovereignty Taiwanese and a potential diplomatic problem between China and Russia. A specialist in Asian politics tells Maldita.es that she doubts that the Russian accusation of Taiwan, in response to the imposed sanctions, could lead to a dispute.

In this other article we explain what we know about this resolution published on March 7 in response to the sanctions imposed against Russian companies, citizens and institutions for the attack against Ukraine that began on February 24.

No, Spanish MP Pablo Echenique has not tweeted that Putin's "mission" in Ukraine is to "impose order" and that the "civilian Ukrainian victims are insignificant collateral damage"

Coinciding with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the capture of an alleged tweet by the spokesman for Unidas Podemos parliamentary group, Pablo Echenique, is circulating. In this tweet he would have written that "the people of Ukraine have to understand" that "the mission (sic) of President Putin" is to "impose order". And he adds that "the Ukrainian civilian victims (sic) are minor collateral damage." It is a hoax that it is a tweet from Echenique.

No, this military convoy is not heading to Ukraine from Santander: it is going to Norway and Spain does not include tanks among the material sent to Ukraine

"Spain begins mobilizing tanks and troops to Ukraine to face invading Russian forces" (sic). With this message, a video is shared in which a convoy of tanks and combat vehicles can be seen moving along a Spanish highway. The video includes the caption "via Santander heading to Ukraine, brave Spain", but it is a hoax that the convoy is heading towards Ukraine.

No, this military convoy spotted in Reys and Alcover (Tarragona) and Binefar (Huesca) is not heading towards Ukraine: they are going to Zaragoza and Spain has not sent tanks to Ukraine

Through social networks, images and videos of the Reus and Alcover stations (Tarragona, Spain) are shared in which a train can be seen transporting a convoy of tanks and combat vehicles. Some affirmations in networks assure that "today a convoy of war tanks left for Ukraine from Spain, Tarragona" and on TikTok these videos are shared with hashtags such as "war", "ukraine", "preparing" and "third world war". But it is a hoax that this convoy is heading towards Ukraine.

What do we know about the videos showing military convoys moving along Spanish roads and railways? They are not related to Ukraine

During the last few hours, various videos have been broadcast through social networks in which several military convoys can be seen moving through various points on Spanish roads and railways. The recordings, which have been disseminated on networks such as Twitter or TikTok, are shared with messages linked to the recent attack by Russia on Ukraine stating that "Pedro Sánchez has already sent troops to fight against Russia." We tell you what we know.


Primera fecha de publicación de este artículo: 24/02/2022

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