A video shared on social media purportedly shows German military equipment being prepared in a delivery to Ukraine.

A train loaded with Leopard 2 tanks of the German Army spotted somewhere in Germany, reported to be heading east. pic.twitter.com/6ral3b1py8

— Clash Report (@clashreport) January 25, 2023

Verdict: False

The post’s caption is inaccurate.  The video dates back to April 2022.

Fact Check:

Germany is expected to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine after major discussion and controversy on whether to send more to the country during its war with Russia, according to DW. Croatian President Zoran Milanovic warned such deliveries could “prolong the war,” The Associated Press reported.

The video posted purports to show German military transport that is sending tanks to Ukraine. The video shows several tanks lined up on railroad tracks. “A train loaded with Leopard 2 tanks of the German Army spotted somewhere in Germany,” the caption reads. “Reported to be heading east.” 

The caption misidentifies the footage. There is no credible news report that supports the claim that this transport was for Ukrainian support. Check Your Fact conducted a reverse image search and found the video is from April 2022.

Thadäus König, a member of the State Parliament of the German federal state of Thuringia, posted a clarification of the footage on Facebook. He explained, “Troop transport is not related to war in Ukraine or arms shipments.” This video was a training exercise.

Check Your Fact has contacted The German Ministry of Defense for comment. We will update this piece if a response is provided. (RELATED: Has NATO Launched An Intervention In Ukraine?)

BBC reported Chancellor Olaf Scholz hedged on the shipment of Leopard 2 tanks earlier this week but made the decision saying Germany will be at the forefront of supporting Ukraine. He followed up that comment by stating, “we must prevent the war from escalating into a war between Russia and NATO,” according to Reuters.

This is not the first time fabricated or misleading images have spread on social media. Check Your Fact recently debunked an image purporting to show an official PSA in Ireland listing “sudden death” as a side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine.