FACT CHECK: Did The New York Post Share A Satellite Image Of Russian Troops In A ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Formation?
An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows a tweet from the New York Post that includes a satellite image of Russian troops in a “Let’s Go Brandon” formation.
Verdict: False
The image has been photoshopped to include the “Let’s Go Brandon” message. The original tweet from the New York Post features a different image.
Fact Check:
Russia has deployed an estimated 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders, fueling fears that an invasion of the country is imminent, according to BBC News. President Joe Biden has said he has no intentions of putting U.S. or North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces in Ukraine but warned he may sanction Russian President Vladimir Putin personally if Russia invades the country, ABC News reported.
An image shared on Facebook appears to show a tweet from the New York Post that includes an alleged satellite image of Russian troops massed along the Ukrainian border in a formation that spells “Let’s Go Brandon,” an apparent taunt directed at Biden. (RELATED: Was A Woman Kicked Out Of A Hockey Game For Wearing A ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Shirt?)
However, the purported satellite image is not authentic and it was not shared by the New York Post. It does not appear on the New York Post’s verified Instagram, Twitter or Facebook accounts. Rather, the image shared on Facebook is an altered version of a real tweet from the outlet that included the same wording but a different image.
New satellite images show extent of Russia buildup along Ukraine border https://t.co/u5fQAqULHP pic.twitter.com/MpHPif3ruI
— New York Post (@nypost) January 20, 2022
Check Your Fact found no credible news reports alleging Russian troops spelled out such a message. A reverse image search reveals the image shared on Facebook was seemingly first shared by the Twitter account @MidnightMitch. The user’s bio notes the account is dedicated to “meme making.”
This is not the first time Russian forces have been photoshopped to display a message. In December 2021, Check Your Fact debunked an image shared on Facebook that purportedly showed Russian military vehicles spelling out a crude word in Cyrillic.
