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Was Cocaine on Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Desk During Video Chat With Elon Musk?
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2021, the Snopes newsroom has debunked countless false rumors about the violence.
by Jessica Lee , May 4, 2022
Image courtesy of Compilation by Snopes using Getty Images
From deepfake videos to video game clips being miscaptioned as war footage to purported quotes by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy , countless misleading rumors about the countries' war have gone viral since the conflict's start two years ago.
Why? Creators of online disinformation thrive in times of crisis. Whether they are political agents or agenda-focused journalists, these so-called "bad actors " pollute our media ecosystem with misleading or false social media posts during high-stake news events. And, because onlookers are emotional (scared, confused, angry, excited, etc.), they are eager to spread links that justify their feelings or existing beliefs — oftentimes without pausing to make sure what the posts say, or show , is true.
Snopes does not want that to be you. Below is a list of rumors or falsehoods Snopes has fact-checked since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with varying degrees of factualness and believability. (They are listed in no particular order.)
By Jessica Lee
Jessica Lee is Snopes' Senior Assignments Editor with expertise in investigative storytelling, media literacy advocacy and digital audience engagement.
Putin Deepfake Imagines Russian President Announcing Surrender
March 18, 2022
This is likely the first time that deepfake videos have been created and deployed in a war propa ...
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Did Biden Say to US Troops About Ukraine: 'You're Gonna See When You're There'?
March 25, 2022
The Kyiv Independent referred to U.S. President Joe Biden's choice of words in front of U.S. tro ...
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No, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Did Not Wear a Nazi Symbol
March 17, 2022
Conspiracy theorists and Russian apologists reached new lows in attacking the Ukrainian presiden ...
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Did Ukraine Reject 'We're Not Gonna Take It' as a Battle Cry?
March 17, 2022
According to an online report, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said, "Fu*k Dee Snider."
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Were Russian Cosmonauts Seen Wearing Ukrainian Colors?
March 21, 2022
The photograph is real, but was it a political statement?
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Did Ukrainian Farmer Steal Russian Soyuz Rocket?
March 21, 2022
The legend of the Ukrainian farmer continues to grow.
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Video Doesn't Show Ukraine Soldiers Killing Civilians in Chechnya
March 14, 2022
The 2014 French drama film “The Search” is about Russia's invasion of Chechnya in 1999.
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Does Video Show Ukrainian Tank Crash Through Russian Barrier in 2022?
March 8, 2022
This miscaptioned video dates back to 2014.
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Were Strollers Left at Poland Train Station for Ukraine Refugees?
March 7, 2022
Ukrainian refugees have been met with food, supplies, and additional transport upon arriving in ...
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Climate Protest Miscaptioned as War Footage
March 3, 2022
Thousands of people have already died in the first week of Russia's war on Ukraine.
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Did Crisis Actors Make a Propaganda Video in Ukraine?
Feb. 28, 2022
This claim definitely involves propaganda, but not in the direction a propagandist would have yo ...
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What Is Ukraine's Azov Battalion?
March 2, 2022
The far-right group has been fighting in Ukraine's eastern region since 2014.
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Did Putin Say Russia Was Helping Palestinians by Fighting the US in Ukraine?
Oct. 31, 2023
On Oct. 30, 2023, the Russian president held a meeting to address the situation in the Middle East.
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Are Ukrainians Selling Used Russian Tanks on eBay?
March 2, 2022
Ukrainians have truly taken over some Russian tanks, but selling them on eBay?
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No, Putin Was Not Compared to Hitler on the Cover of Time Magazine
Feb. 28, 2022
The artist told Snopes that he would “never willingly contribute to misinformation.”
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Did Zelenskyy Ask the US for 'Credit' to Fight War Against Russia?
Nov. 9, 2023
The Ukrainian president reiterated pleas for the United States to supply more weapons.
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Does Ukrainian Road Sign Read 'Go F*ck Yourself Back to Russia'?
Feb. 28, 2022
It's true that Ukrainians altered road signs to confuse Russian troops, but it all started with ...
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Are These Claims About Zelenskyy's Family and Career True?
March 1, 2022
A roundup of the resume and history of the Ukrainian president.
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Did Pornhub Block Russian Users?
Feb. 28, 2022
Russia's invasion of Ukraine prompted sanctions that have blocked banking access, restricted air ...
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Is This 'Ghost of Kyiv' Video Real?
Feb. 25, 2022
The "Ghost of Kyiv" may be real, but this video is not.
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Did UN Ban the Word 'War' Regarding Russia's Invasion of Ukraine?
March 8, 2022
Staff were reportedly advised to instead use “conflict” or “military offensive.”
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Viral Video Shows Palestinian Girl, Not Ukrainian, Confronting Soldier
March 1, 2022
A 2012 video of young Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi was repurposed during Russia's invasion o ...
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Did Putin Threaten War with the US in Tucker Carlson Interview?
Feb. 9, 2024
The interview was the first time Putin spoke to a Western journalist since the invasion of Ukrai ...
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Video Doesn't Show Russian and Ukrainian Soldiers Dancing Together
Feb. 25, 2022
This miscaptioned video was circulated by those attempting to downplay Russia's attack on Ukraine.
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Are 'Ukrainian Army Cats' Trained To Spot Sniper Lasers?
March 1, 2022
Movies don't always provide the most accurate depictions of war.
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Zelenskyy Swastika Jersey Pic is Fake
March 7, 2022
There's been a concerted effort by Russian propagandists to depict Ukrainian's president as a Nazi.
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Is This Tractor Towing a Russian Jet Captured in Ukraine?
March 16, 2022
Ukrainian farmers have been filmed towing all sorts of abandoned military gear with their tractors.
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Real Photo of Keanu Reeves With 'Love Ukraine' Sign?
Jan. 25, 2024
The actor has shown support for Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine war.
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Did Zelenskyy 'Troll' Putin Over a Supposedly Fake Video?
March 8, 2022
Social media users pored over videos that appeared to show the Ukrainian president touching a mi ...
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No, the UN Did Not Say, 'The State of Ukraine Does Not Exist'
March 4, 2022
Conspiracy theorists and Russian apologists stretched credulity with one viral post in early 2022.
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Does Ukraine Stamp Design Commemorate 'Russian Warship, Go F*ck Yourself' Moment?
March 15, 2022
A Ukrainian soldier's response to a Russian warship has become a powerful slogan for the besiege ...
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Did Biden Say Putin 'Cannot Remain in Power'?
March 28, 2022
The U.S. president condemned the Russian president and his actions in Ukraine.
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Did Miss Ukraine Join Fight Against Russia?
March 4, 2022
Anastasiia Lenna is one of millions of Ukrainians impacted by Russia's war.
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Bad Deepfake of Zelenskyy Shared on Ukraine News Site in Reported Hack
March 16, 2022
One way to tell that this video is fake is that the size of Zelenskyy's head is disproportionate ...
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Does Video Show Zelenskyy Singing John Lennon's 'Imagine'?
March 28, 2022
The Ukrainian president became something of a cult figure during Russia's invasion of his countr ...
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Are Lukoil Gas Stations 'Russian Owned'?
March 3, 2022
Americans outraged by Russia's invasion of Ukraine called for a boycott of Lukoil gas stations i ...
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Was 'Anastasia' Removed from Disney+ To Protest Invasion of Ukraine?
March 4, 2022
The movie "Anastasia" is no longer available on Disney+, but its removal was unrelated to Russia ...
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Did Russia 'Only Sanction Democrats' and Not Republicans?
March 18, 2022
In the spring of 2022, Russia barred hundreds of Canadians and Americans from entering the country.
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Did CNN Show Edmonton, Canada, Fire Video as if It Were Lviv Explosion?
March 28, 2022
The footage in question showed CNN anchors John Berman and Don Lemon and was broadcast on the mo ...
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Is Reuters Russian-Owned?
March 17, 2022
The news agency extensively covered the war in Ukraine from its outset.
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Is This Ukraine Vice President's Wife in Combat Gear?
March 2, 2022
No, and it's not the first lady either.
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Did a Fox News Guest Say 'Russia Is Now Being Canceled'?
March 7, 2022
A video clip from a Fox News TV show was widely shared following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in ...
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Did One of Ukraine's Leaders Write a Letter to Mark Zuckerberg?
Feb. 28, 2022
Ukraine called on tech companies to block access to their services in Russia.
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Were Clips of Tucker Carlson Being Aired on Russian TV?
Feb. 25, 2022
Russian state television translated numerous clips from the Fox News anchor in the U.S.
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Did Turkish Football Fans Chant Putin 'Looks Like a Dick'?
Feb. 25, 2022
This wasn't the first time anti-Putin chants rained down from the rafters.
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Did the Taliban Call for a 'Peaceful' Resolution in Ukraine?
Feb. 25, 2022
The Taliban took over the Afghan government in August 2021.
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Did Biden Say, 'Putin Decides He's Gonna Invade Russia'?
March 16, 2022
Viral video clips purportedly showed U.S. President Joe Biden's mistaking Russia and Ukraine whe ...
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Did Video Show Russian Missile 'Boomerang' in Ukraine, Striking Troops Who Launched It?
June 24, 2022
We looked for the origins of a viral video that supposedly showed a Russia ...
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Is Russia Using Mobile Crematoriums to Hide Evidence of Casualties in Ukraine?
Feb. 24, 2022
The crematoriums were reportedly in use in 2015, as well.
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No, This Isn't a Video of a Russian Paratrooper TikToking the Invasion of Ukraine
Feb. 24, 2022
A video went viral across social media platforms with misleading information.
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UKRAINE: Viral Hoax Falsely Claims 'American Journalists' Killed on 1st Day of Russian Invasion
Feb. 24, 2022
Widely shared social media posts were not sincere tributes but rather part of a distasteful trop ...
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Did a Russian Dementia Care Facility Use Biden in an Ad?
March 13, 2023
Also pictured in the alleged ad: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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'ArmA 3' Game Clip Miscaptioned as Ukraine Invasion Footage
Feb. 24, 2022
This isn't the first time that clips from the video game ArmA 3 have circulated with incorrect c ...
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Yes, Ukraine's UN Ambassador Said This About War Criminals
Feb. 24, 2022
The comment that such criminals go "straight to hell" was directed at his Russian counterpart.
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Video of 'Paratroopers Landing in Ukraine' is Miscaptioned
Feb. 24, 2022
Miscaptioned videos and photos often circulate in the wake of breaking news.
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Did Ukraine Give Up Its Nuclear Power Through the Budapest Memorandum?
March 22, 2022
In 1994, the country agreed to take certain actions in exchange for security assurances.
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Did Zelenskyy Urge Western Countries, 'Don't Build Roads, Spend All of Your Money on Weapons'?
Dec. 13, 2023
Viral posts claimed Zelenskyy "begged Western leaders to send all their money to Ukraine."
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No, a Video Doesn't Show Finland Moving Tanks to the Russian Border
May 4, 2022
The video shows Finnish tanks being transported for a military exercise taking place amid Russia ...
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Is This a Real Video of a Soldier Greeting Grandmother After Russians Left Kherson?
Nov. 14, 2022
Ukrainian forces took back Kherson from Russia in November 2022.
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Ladimir Elensky? Fake Time Magazine Cover Omits 'Z' and 'V'
April 20, 2022
Some countries have truly banned public displays of the letter "Z," which is considered a symbol ...
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This the Last Photo Showing Alexei Navalny Alive?
Feb. 16, 2024
One of Putin's most formidable opponents collapsed and died in an Arctic penal colony.
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Yes, a Ukrainian Mother Wrote Vital Information on Her Toddler's Back
April 12, 2022
The photograph has become a symbol of the terror of Ukrainian parents trying to keep their child ...
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Were 'Tulipa Ukraine' Flowers Bred To Honor Ukraine?
April 11, 2022
Social media users shared photographs of tulips sporting the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
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No, Tucker Carlson Didn't Ask if Dead Bodies of Ukrainian Civilians Were 'Staged'
April 5, 2022
Clips from the Fox News host's show have been shown on Russian state television in the past.
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Is Vladimir Putin Dead?
Nov. 8, 2023
Rumors about the Russian president’s supposed death went viral in October 2023.
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Is Ukraine Preparing to Legalize Porn Production to Raise Military Funding?
Oct. 19, 2023
Viral posts mischaracterized a legislative proposal to decriminalize pornography in the country.
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Did Ukraine's First Lady Spend $1.1M on Cartier Jewelry During September 2023 NYC Trip?
Oct. 6, 2023
The spending spree allegedly occurred during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to ...
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Fake Video of 'Glory to Urine' New York Billboard Fools Internet
Sept. 21, 2023
"Zelensky was greeted with this 'Glory to Urine' banner in New York in apparent typo," NotTheBee ...
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Putin Says Poland Wants To 'Regain' Western Ukraine?
Sept. 19, 2023
"Did I wake up and the USSR is back?" one X user asked.
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Recycled Video Does Not Show Wagner Chief Prigozhin's Plane Crash
Aug. 24, 2023
BBC Verify journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh posted the truth about the dated video after a miscapt ...
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Did Zelenskyy Say He Would 'Exchange' Belgorod for NATO Membership?
Aug. 22, 2023
The border city of Belgorod has been in Russian hands for over a century.
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Video from Beach Party in Kyiv Proves War in Ukraine Is a Hoax?
Aug. 7, 2023
"The war in Ukraine is FAKE," one social media user commented.
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Is This an Authentic Ad in Japan Reading, 'Stop Zelenskyy, Stop War'?
July 31, 2023
"Even Japan starts to wake up," one social media user commented.
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Ukraine Video Does Not Show Women Carrying Film Prop Stones Out of Church Hit by Russian Airstrike
July 27, 2023
Sam Doak, a fact checker for the Logically Facts website, found the truth behind this baseless c ...
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Is This a Real Photograph of Zelenskyy's Home?
July 19, 2023
The United States announced new aid packages for Ukraine in July 2023.
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Does NATO's Website Offer Ukrainian as a Language Option?
July 11, 2023
NATO's official languages are French and English.
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Does the Ukrainian Military Display a 'Nazi Cross' on Some Vehicles or Tanks?
June 28, 2023
Video ostensibly showing a Ukrainian service member driving away in a car marked with a cross on ...
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Did the Head of the Wagner Group Write a Children's Book?
June 28, 2023
Yevgeny Prigozhin and his mercenary force launched a brief rebellion in Russia in June 2023.
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Did Zelenskyy Say There Would Be No Elections in Ukraine Until War Ends?
June 28, 2023
The Ukrainian Constitution does not allow for elections when martial law is imposed.
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Does Video Show Ukrainian Armed Forces Training Child Soldiers?
June 16, 2023
Social media users started sharing a video that supposedly showed Ukrainian child soldiers train ...
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Did Members of Ukraine's Armed Forces Help Make This Bollywood Video?
June 13, 2023
A viral tweet described the video as "war propaganda in the style of Bollywood dance videos."
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Does This Video Show the Nova Kakhovka Dam Explosion in Ukraine?
June 6, 2023
As the Russian and Ukrainian governments blamed each other for the incident, this footage swept ...
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Did Lindsey Graham Say, 'The Russians Are Dying — It's the Best Money We've Ever Spent'?
May 30, 2023
A video supposedly showed the senator from South Carolina making the statement to Volodymyr Zele ...
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Does This Video Show NATO Troops in Ukraine?
May 22, 2023
Kabul is not in Ukraine.
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Does the Russian Army Use a Drone Named 'Supercum'?
May 17, 2023
Ukrainian forces shot down three Russian unmanned vehicles originally identified as "Supercum" d ...
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Are These Before-and-After Pics of the Same Location in Bucha, Ukraine?
May 16, 2023
Some of the heaviest fighting and worst atrocities of the 2022 Russian invasion of Kyiv occurred ...
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Are These Real Videos of People Partying in Kyiv, Ukraine, During Wartime?
May 8, 2023
Since the Russian invasion in February 2023, the city has been under various levels of curfew.
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Is This Real Footage of Ukrainians Burning Russian-Affiliated Orthodox Church?
April 7, 2023
Pro-Kremlin social media accounts accused Ukrainians of calling for attacks on churches where Ru ...
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Is This a Real Recruitment Poster to US Welfare Recipients for the International Legion of Ukraine?
April 6, 2023
"This episode is to be investigated by local security authorities," a spokesperson for the Embas ...
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Did Russian Forces Strike a 'NATO Command Center' in Lviv, Ukraine?
April 3, 2023
A lazy piece of obvious propaganda has become incorporated into several false claims about the w ...
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Does This Video Show Ukrainian Soldiers Terrorizing a Mother and Her Child?
March 29, 2023
"In carrying out such information operations, ours still has to learn …," a Russian Telegram acc ...
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Do Pics of Putin's Chin Prove He Uses a Body Double?
March 23, 2023
Video of the Russian president’s visit to Russia-occupied Mariupol revived speculation that he u ...
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No, This Isn't Footage From the War in Ukraine
March 21, 2023
The video is footage from the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
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Does the Flag Zelenksyy Gave to US Congress Contain Nazi Symbolism?
Dec. 23, 2022
The number 46 does not, in fact, have anything to do with Nazism.
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Is This Image of a Mass Grave from the War in Ukraine?
March 14, 2023
Pro-Putin trolls were pushing context-free photos as evidence of heavy Ukrainian losses.
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Is This a Real Photo of Ukrainian Soldiers in Front of a Swastika Flag?
March 14, 2023
Some have argued that the photo, taken in 2014, was manipulated. Here, Snopes takes a closer look.
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No, This Is NOT Footage of NATO Aircraft Being Attacked by Russian Missiles in Ukraine
March 10, 2023
Beware of people passing off video game simulations as actual combat footage.
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Was Cocaine on Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Desk During Video Chat With Elon Musk?
May 4, 2022
A viral video claimed to show cocaine on the Ukrainian president's desk as he video-called the b ...
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