FACT CHECK: Viral Post Claims To Show Military Equipment Niger Received From Russia

Elias Atienza | Senior Reporter
A post shared on Facebook claims to show military equipment Niger received from Russia.


Verdict: False

None of the weapons or vehicles are from Russia.

Fact Check:

Niger state media reported that the country reopened its airspace after a month of closure, according to France 24. The country closed its airspace after a military junta overthrew the president and installed a military government, the outlet reported.

The Facebook post claims that Niger received military equipment from Russia. The video’s caption reads, “Niger🇳🇪/To chase France🇫🇷, you have to involve Russia🇷🇺. Niger🇳🇪 just received heavy equipment from Russia.Important logistics arrived in #Niamey and several M12-47-B retaliation planes. And armored vehicles.”

The images, however, do not show military equipment transfers between Russia and Niger. The first image shows a French Air and Space Force aircraft in 2014, which was posted on Facebook. The video’s caption reads, “Unloading a starter group of aircraft. JL. Brunet © Air Force.” The French emblem has been photoshopped over by a Russian one. 

The second image shows French troops in Mali in 2013, according to the image’s description on Alamy. The Facebook image has been photoshopped to replace the French emblem with a Russian one. (RELATED: Does This Photo Show The Alleged Nashville Shooter With A Sign That Says ‘Trans Rights Or Else?’)

The third image shows AR-15 rifles at a festival in October 2019. The fourth image shows an image from an Instagram account that sells firearms and other equipment in the United States. The image is also from January 2019.

Logically Facts also debunked this claim.

Elias Atienza

Senior Reporter
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