FACT CHECK: Does This Video Show Russian Troops Being Ambushed After Attempting To Escape?

Elias Atienza | Senior Reporter

A video shared on Facebook claims to show Russian troops being ambushed after attempting to escape Ukrainian forces.

Verdict: False

The video is from a military-style simulator, not genuine footage of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

Fact Check:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed Dec. 20 that Ukraine would retake all territory occupied by Russia, such as Crimea and the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, according to The Wall Street Journal. Ukrainian forces are a few kilometers away from the strategic town of Kreminna, Ukrainska Pravda reported.

The Facebook video, viewed more than 5,000 times, claims to show Russian troops being ambushed in Ukraine. The video’s caption reads, “Russian Soldiers Try to Escape, but They are Stopped and Punished by the Ukrainians.”

However, this claim is false. The Facebook video shows footage from ARMA 3, a simulation-based video game published by Bohemia Interactive. Through a reverse image search, Check Your Fact found the video was posted to YouTube Dec. 10 with the same title.

“DISCLAIMER: All videos on this channel are Arma 3 game simulation! They do not reflect reality and are the product of the author’s imagination! This channel is not for propaganda purposes!” reads part of the video description. The channel, AFU Warrior, has posted other videos showing other ARMA 3 footage. (RELATED: Does This Video Show Volodymyr Zelenskyy Dancing With A Rocket Launcher?)

Misinformation around the Russian-Ukrainian conflict is not new. Check Your Fact previously debunked a video claiming to show Ukraine sinking a Russian nuclear aircraft carrier.

Elias Atienza

Senior Reporter
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