Vladimir Putin

Did American actor Elijah Wood offer Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "to cure drug and alcohol addiction" on Instagram? No, that's not true: The actor doesn't post Instagram stories publicly. Wood did not say anything that would imply he was addressing Zelenskyy specifically in the heavily edited clip circulating on social media. The claim appeared in a tweet published on July…

Did NATO sign a written agreement not to expand eastwards after the fall of the Soviet Union? No, that's not true: On its website, NATO refutes the claim, and even Russia -- which historically argued that it was offered verbal guarantees -- did not take it as far as stating that such a formal agreement was signed in the aftermath…

Did Russian President Vladimir Putin display a religious icon that featured a dark-complexioned man's face to show that "Jesus was black"? No, that's not true: The video in this post shows Putin displaying a copy of a Russian Orthodox Church icon that depicts a specific interpretation of Jesus Christ. In the original footage for this clip, posted on a Russian…

Did a special April 2023 (issue 337) of The New European (TNE) feature on its cover a cartoon of a scowling Rishi Sunak, U.K. prime minister, looking at Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy sitting on the lap of the Dalai Lama, who has stuck his tongue out -- with Zelenskyy saying, "I'll suck it if you pay me!"? No, that's not…

Did a photo recently surface that shows Jeffrey Epstein posing with four children on a tropical beach? No, that's not true: This is not a real photo but an image created with the AI program Midjourney. This image, and another in the same vein showing a likeness of Epstein posing with five children, were posted on Instagram by an account…

Is there a video clip of Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking in English to Americans and saying that they are interfering with their own democracy? No, that's not true: The clip is a "deepfake," a form of artificial intelligence used to appear as if it represents an actual event. The clip was created as a part of a voting campaign…

Do viral images of Russian President Vladimir Putin actually show him being arrested? No, that's not true: The "photos" were created by AI-based software, and, as of this writing, Putin is not under arrest, despite a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. The claim appeared in a post published on Facebook on March 26, 2023. It contained a video…

Did Russian President Vladimir Putin intercept an adrenochrome shipment that was in transit to the United States? No, that's not true: The claim contains a hodgepodge of conspiracy theories and it originated in an outlet known for publishing fictitious "news" stories. The claim originated in an article titled "Putin Intercepts Adrenochrome Shipment Headed to United States," published on February 8,…

Did Russian President Vladimir Putin order the destruction of all COVID-19 vaccine supplies in Russia? No, that's not true. The claim originated from a website known for spreading false claims, and no other independent credible source has published anything to back up this theory. On March 4, 2023, the Russian Ministry of Health publicly confirmed sending additional doses to different…

During his February 20, 2023, trip to Ukraine, did President Joe Biden promise Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a "stake in the United States" as a reward for "staying the course"? No, that's not true: This claim was published by a site known for printing fake news stories. The claim was part of an article with other debunked claims, including one…