Did a Chinese city bordering the Russian city of Blagoveshchensk create a water and light show projecting the portrait of the Russian soldiers in order to pay tribute them? No, that's not true: The video was recorded in the Russian city of Derbent. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) where it was published by mnbelarus on August 24,…

Did the private military company (PMC) Wagner send greetings from Belarus using a satellite photo with a three-letter Russian swear word transcribed in Latin as "hui" and translated to English as "dick?" No, that's not true: This "greeting" was digitally manipulated. The original shows a Maxar satellite image that captured the deployment of Russian ground forces in the Russian city…

Do Ukrainians abuse one-day trips to Poland just to receive migrant benefits? No, that's not true: Poland's Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) does not grant funds to Ukrainians who come to Poland for only one day. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) where it was published by alex_belarussian on August 30, 2023. The text on the video, translated from…

Did the Polish weekly Myśl Polska disclose the number of Polish mercenaries lost in the Ukraine-Russia conflict? No, that's not true: No such article has ever been published. Mateusz Piskorski, from the editorial board of the magazine, denied that Myśl Polska ever reported on that, asking to check on the source of this alleged piece of information. The claim appeared…

Правда ли, что Литва закрыла все пункты пропуска на границе с Беларусью из-за угрозы национальной безопасности? Нет, это неправда. По состоянию на 18 августа 2023 года Литва временно закрыла только два из шести пограничных пунктов ― «Шумскас» и «Твярячус» ― в ответ на размещение частной военной компании (ЧВК) «Вагнер» на белорусской территории. Данное утверждение появилось в видео (более недоступно, архив…

Was there a billboard with the face of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the text "I have made 10 times more than the Barbie movie" installed in New York? No, that's not true: Such a banner does not exist. The story appeared in a video (archived here) where it was published by pravda_bel on August 10, 2023. Videos with the…

Will the new draft law restrict Ukrainian teenagers from traveling abroad because of mobilization? No, that's not true: The changes to the regulations on temporary departure out of Ukraine for children 16 to 18 will require an accompanying parent and the consent of the other or a confidant. Teenagers older than 18 will be able to travel unaccompanied. The claim…

Did a well-known defender of the Kremlin's rhetoric, American Scott Ritter, interview Wagner Group chief and leader of the failed mutiny against the Kremlin, Yevgeny Prigozhin? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found no credible evidence that such an interview occurred. On July 3, 2023, the claim appeared in a video posted on the TikTok account @dr46yii (archived here). The…

Правда ли, что министр национальной обороны Литвы Арвидас Анушаускас заявил, что Польша собирается заминировать свою границу с Беларусью? Нет, это неправда. Министр не делал такого заявления. В интервью литовскому телеканалу LRT TV он лишь отметил, что польские политики обсуждают эту вероятность, и подчеркнул, что Литва не будет публично раскрывать возможные меры безопасности, которые могут быть предприняты в ответ на угрозу,…

Did an aircraft with Wagner mercenaries onboard land in Niger's capital Niamey? No, that's not true: The footage presented in the claim shows a plane approaching Khartoum airport in Sudan in 2005. The claim appeared in a TikTok video (archived here) where it was published by vasia1326 on August 5, 2023. The same claim can be found here. The text…

Are Ukrainian women being mobilized to perform compulsory military service? No, that's not true: During a telethon aired by Channel 5 on January 8, 2023, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Defense, Hanna Maliar confirmed that women in Ukraine are not designated for mandatory mobilization until 2026. The claim originated from a TikTok video and reappeared in a video (archived here) where…

Does the photo depict a Wagner fighter near the Polish border? No, that's not true: The picture was manipulated and the original shows a man in military uniform with a Polish flag on the sleeve. The story appeared in a TikTok video (archived here) which was published by @planet.404 on August 2, 2023. The same video can be found on…

Was there a digital billboard displaying the message "Stop war, stop Zelenskyy" in Tokyo, Japan? No, that's not true: The video has been doctored and the original shows digital advertisements. The story appeared in a video (archived here) where it was published by @planet.404 on TikTok on August 1, 2023, under the title "Tokyo. Billboard." The text on the video…

Did an Orthodox priest pronounce an anathema on the motorcade of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he passed through the streets of Bulgaria's capital Sofia? No, that's not true: Lead Stories found that the man shown in the video, wearing a black robe and holding a cross, is not a priest, and his actions in front of the camera have…

Did the Wagner Group chief and leader of the failed mutiny against the Kremlin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, state that Wagner group fighters would carry out combat operations on behalf of Russia, including those possibly aimed at Poland, from Belarus territory? No, that's not true: In a July 19 video release, Prigozhin is heard addressing his mercenaries in Belarus, saying they will…

Did the German political party Alternative for Germany create an advertisement against NATO (also trending under the name Heil, Zelenskyy)? No, that's not true: The video was shot in Russia and Alternative for Germany has no involvement in the production of the clip. The story appeared in a Telegram video (archived here) which was published by @Belarus_VPO on July 26,…

Does the replacement of the Soviet emblem with Ukraine's coat of arms, the Trident (Ukrainian: Tryzub), on the Motherland Monument in Kiyv cost $16 million? No, that's not true: The estimated expense for this work is calculated at 28 million hryvnias, which is equivalent to $755,000 (the exchange rate at the time of writing this article). The claim appeared in…

Did Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov purchase a villa for his daughter for 7 million euro? No, that's not true: At the time of writing this article the villa in Cannes mentioned in the claim was still for sale as seen on the Christie's International Real Estate website, for an asking price of 11.7 million Euros. The story originated from…

Did Brandon Mitchell, a Canadian volunteer in Ukraine, say that Russia does not bomb bridges and railways because it targets only military objects and does Russia target only military objects? No, that's not true: In his interview with YouTube channel Lindy Beige, Mitchell says: "You know, the Russians have caused a lot of damage there, but there's some things that…

Was Zelenskyy left alone and neglected by other participating leaders during the NATO summit in Vilnius? No, that's not true: numerous pictures and video footage confirm that other heads of state and government gave a hospitable welcome to the President of Ukraine and his wife Olena. On July 12, 2023, the claim appeared in a video posted on the TikTok…